Emulsion formulations

ABSTRACT

A SEDDS or SMEDDS or SNEDDS formulation for drug delivery of a lipophilic therapeutic agent, providing enhanced modulation of solubility, stability, absorption, metabolism, and/or pharmacokinetic profile of the therapeutic agent by formulation with a lipophilic surfactant, a hydrophilic surfactant, one or more solubilizers and, optionally, digestible oils, resulting in higher bioavailability of the therapeutic agent administered to a subject in need of such therapeutic agent. Also described are pharmaceutical compositions containing the formulations and methods of making and methods of using the formulations and pharmaceutical compositions. Formulations of the disclosure can be constituted to minimize the synthesis of dihydrotestosterone when the therapeutic agent includes testosterone or testosterone esters.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/983,216, filed Dec. 31, 2010, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/291,769, filed Dec. 31, 2009. The disclosures of the foregoing applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their respective entireties, for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to self-emulsified, self-micro, and self-nano, drug delivery systems (herein referred to as “SEDDS,” “SMEDDS,” and “SNEDDS,” respectively) of lipophilic drugs containing phytosterols and/or phytosterol fatty acid esters. Further, the present invention relates to such systems containing testosterone and/or testosterone esters for the treatment of testosterone deficiency. Still further, the present invention relates to pharmaceutical composition comprising testosterone undecanoate (TU) and phytosterol fatty acid esters with fast release, enhanced and extended absorption, minimal food effect and unique pharmacokinetic profile.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Drug absorption is the process by which a drug is transported from its site of administration into the blood, via portal or lymphatic system. Oral drug delivery, as one type of delivery, is advantageous in that it provides easy administration, can be performed by the patient or another, is not painful to the patient and involves relatively low effort. Absorption of a drug administered orally occurs along the entire gastrointestinal (GI) tract, although most drug absorption occurs in the lower GI tract. Such absorption can occur via either of the portal and mesenteric lymphatic routes.

The portal route involves transport of the drug through the portal vein, to the liver. Many drugs are metabolized in the liver. This may result in a lowered systemic bioavailability of the drug as the drug is metabolized. This lowering of bioavailability is referred to as the “first pass effect.” In other words, the greater the first pass effect, the smaller the amount of the drug that will reach the systemic circulation. This results in increased doses of the drug taken orally to achieve desired levels for efficacy. Metabolism of a drug may also occur in the GI tract and contributes to the reduced or variable absorption of such a drug.

The lymphatic system is an extensive drainage network spread throughout the body. It shadows the blood circulation system and its functions include the transport of fluid components of blood which have passed into the interstitial space from the capillaries of the circulation system. The intestinal lymphatic system also plays an essential role in absorption of products from lipid digestion, e.g., long chain fatty acids and lipid soluble vitamins. If the lymphatic route can be optimized or selected for drug absorption and absorption via the portal route reduced, then the first pass effect can correspondingly be reduced or bypassed, improving bioavailability of the drug. The drugs are also metabolized in the GI tract by enzymes present in the brush-border layer or secreted into the GI tract. The amount of the drug available for absorption is thus impacted by the susceptibility of the drug to these metabolizing enzymes. The access of the enzymes to the drug can be modulated by using excipients which preferentially shield the drug.

Poor water solubility is a significant obstacle for drug absorption. Approximately 40% of drugs worldwide are insoluble in water and therefore, are difficult to formulate. Since 1995, 90% of drugs released into the market have limited solubility and/or poor permeability (Conners, R. D., and Elder, E. J., Drug Deliv. Tech. 2004, vol. 4, no. 8, pp. 1-11; Giliyar, C., et al., Drug Deliv. Tech. 2006, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 57-63.). Improving solubility will benefit patients and consumers by rendering previously poorly absorbed compounds more bioavailable and hence more effective for a given dose. First, poor water solubility can limit the type of formulation available to a bioactive compound. Poorly soluble drugs may have to be dissolved in oils so that they can be incorporated into a capsule. Second, poorly soluble compounds are likely to have limited bioavailability because once in the body, they do not remain in solution at the site of action. This results in lower absorption and reduced efficacy. To counter this, administration of higher doses is often necessary. However, higher doses can potentially lead to increased side effects.

The science of drug administration therefore requires consideration of a number of factors in evaluating the absorption of a drug, such as type and route of transport, the drug's properties including its susceptibility to degradation/metabolism, the formulation by which the drug is administered, concentration and amounts of drug, poor water solubility and any inhibitory factors.

Administration via the intestinal lymphatic system provides advantages such as avoidance of hepatic first pass metabolism, and the potential to target specific diseases states known to spread via the lymphatic system, for example certain cancers and HIV.

Various studies have been conducted regarding optimization of administration, absorption and bioavailability of drugs.

Most formulation approaches to improve bioavailability of water insoluble, highly lipophilic drugs are based on either particle size reduction technologies (e.g. micronization, nano-particle generation) to increase drug dissolution rate and/or achieve transient solubilization, or technologies to achieve a sustained solubilization of the drug, such as complexation, or use of lipid-based delivery systems.

The particle size reduction technologies often fail to overcome bioavailability limitations and result in a large food effect, i.e., much higher exposure in a fed state than in a fasted state, which can lead to greater sensitivity of the pharmacokinetic profile to the fat content of meals and the timing of food administration. These conventional dissolution enhancement and transient solubilization technologies do not improve the transport across the unstirred water (or boundary) layer (UWL), which separates the bulk fluid phase of the small intestine lumen from the brush border membrane of enterocytes. For many poorly soluble drugs, this transport across the UWL represents the dominant rate-limiting step for drug absorption.

A widely utilized approach to achieve sustained solubilization and overcome poor fasted state bioavailability of lipophilic drugs is to utilize solutions in lipid vehicles containing surfactants that constitute a self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS), to effect spontaneous emulsification upon contact of the lipid with fluids in the GI tract. If microemulsions or nanoemulsions are formed, these are referred to as self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems (SMEDDS) or SNEDDS. SEDDS produce opaque, white emulsions with lipid droplet sizes >200 nm, while SMEDDS or SNEDDS form transparent or translucent microemulsions with droplet size of less than 200 nm (Gursoy et al., Biomed Pharmacother 2004: 58(3): 173-182).

The formulation of SEDDS/SMEDDS or SNEDDS sounds to be comparatively simple; all what is required is to incorporate the drug into a suitable oil-surfactant mixture, and then the mixture could be filled in a soft or hard gelatin capsules. However, the selection of the formulation components and their relative quantities in the formulation is unpredictable. Only very specific pharmaceutical excipient combinations could lead to efficient self-emulsifying systems. Past studies have shown that the self-emulsification process is specific to the nature of the oil/surfactant pair, surfactant concentration, oil/surfactant ratio and temperature at which emulsification takes place (Gursoy et al., Biomed Pharmacother 2004: 58(3): 173-182)

The primary mechanism by which lipid-based drug formulations enhance drug solubilization within the GI tract are by presentation as a solubilized formulation (thereby avoiding solid-state limitations) and by induced changes to the character of the GI environment such that solute-solvent interactions and drug solubility are enhanced. These dosage forms are classified into four categories: Types I, II, III (A and B) and IV (Pouton C W, Eur J Pharm Sci. 2006; 29:278-87), depending on the ease of emulsification and the product so formed. Of particular note are the self emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS); these are defined as an anhydrous mixture of drugs with oil, surfactant and (possibly) cosurfactant, which spontaneously form a fine emulsion or microemulsion upon contact with fluids present within the gastrointestinal tract (Pouton C W, Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 1997; 25:47-58).

Several advantages of such systems have been described compared to basic oil formulations, not least being more consistent plasma profiles compared to the more erratic responses seen from conventional lipid formulations (MacGregor et al., Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 1997; 25:33-46). A wide range of SEDDS, SMEDDS, and SNEDDS formulations have been studied in the literature, using a variety of naturally occurring oils, partially refined oils, triglycerides of defined composition, semi-synthetic mixtures of triglycerides, co-solvents such as ethanol, and surfactants of different chemical descriptions. The initial selection of the excipient mixture is usually based on the relative ability of the mixture to self-emulsify or self-micro-emulsify, the droplet size of the resulting emulsion or microemulsion, and the solubility of the drug within the vehicles. (Thomas et al., 2012)

SEDDS, SMEDDS and SNEDDS form micelles upon dilution and are well suited for providing the sustained solubilization in vivo and rapid transport across the Undisturbed Water Layer (UWL). The advantages of SEDDS/SMEDDS include fast absorption, lower effective dose, less variable absorption, and minimal or absence of food effects. For example, compared to the crude emulsion (Sandimmuneo), a SMEDDS formulation of CyclosporinA (Neoral®) was shown to enhance fasted state bioavailability, decrease the food effect, increase dose linearity and reduce variability in exposures. it was observed that Neoral dispersed in aqueous media as extremely fine particles (<150 nm) and gave the appearance of a clear or transluscent solution. In contrast, Sandimmune phase separated after dilution with water as a milky emulsion containing large oil globules (Vonderscher et al., Neoral. Transplant Proc. 1994; 26(5):2925-7; Meinzer et al., Gattefosse. 1995; 88:21-6). As a result, Neoral provided better bioavailability than Sandimmune. It was demonstrated by Kovarik et al. (Kovarik et al., J Pharm Sci. 1994; 83:444-6) that the bioavailability of cyclosporine A from a 180-mg dose of Neoral was essentially similar to that of a 300-mg dose of Sandimmune when both were administered as soft gelatin capsules.

Of additional benefit, the individual variation in the pharmacokinetic parameters, such as Cmax (maximum concentration), tmax (time to reach maximum concentration) and AUC (area under the curve), was much lower for Neoral. When administered with a fatty meal, Neoral did not alter the pharmacokinetics of cyclosporine A in humans, demonstrating practically no food effect (Mueller et al., Pharm Res. 1994; 11(1):151-5; Mueller et al., Transplant Proc. 1994; 26(5):2957-8). These advantages of the reformulated product were attributed to its spontaneous self-microemulsification (particle or globule size <150 nm) within the GI tract. Food generally increases the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs through increased bile secretion and prolonged gastric retention time. It is possible that the formation of a microemulsion maximized the absorption of the drug, leaving no room for further improvement in the presence of food. Such a lack of food effect in humans was also observed for other self-emulsifying lipid-based formulations (Sheen et al., J Pharm Sci. 1991; 80(7):712-4).

Consistency of drug bioavailability, whether in the fed or fasted state; is an important consideration for clinical efficacy and commercial success of drug products. That is to say, elimination of the food effect may be an attainable goal using lipid-based formulations. For this purpose, the active pharmaceutical ingredient must first dissolve in the carrier, and then after oral administration, finely disperse within the fluids of the gastrointestinal tract before it is adequately absorbed.

A recent study focused on the evaluation of the impact of gastric digestion on the bioavailability of the model drug cinnarizine from lipid-based formulations composed of medium- and long-chain lipids (Lee et al., Gastric processing is a critical determinant of the ability of lipid-based formulations to enhance the oral bioavailability of a model poorly water-soluble drug. Transactions of the 36th Annual Meeting and Exposition of the Controlled Release Society, Copenhagen, Denmark; 2009, p. 681.). The results showed that the bioavailability of the poorly water-soluble drug administered orally to rats was higher than that of the same formulation administered intra-duodenally, suggesting a pivotal role played by gastric processing. Furthermore, the authors suggested that formulations containing medium chain lipids are influenced by such processing more than formulations containing long-chain fatty acids, in turn indicating a composition dependence of bioavailability with respect to the digestibility of the oil phase.

Testosterone is one of the most important androgens synthesized in the body. It is formed mainly in the testicles and in small amounts in the adrenal glands and in women in the ovaries. In males, testosterone is responsible for the development of the male characteristics during fetal, neonatal and pubertal maturation and finally for attaining the male phenotype and for androgen-dependent functions (for example spermatogenesis). Testosterone exerts protein-anabolic action (in muscles, bones, hematopoiesis, kidneys and liver) (E. Mutschler, “Arzneinittelwirkungen” [Drug Actions], 6th edition, pp. 334-337, Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft mbh [publisher], Stuttgart, 1991.).

Testosterone products currently on the market utilize oral, parenteral, intramuscular, transdermal, sublingual, and/or buccal routes of administration. Testosterone is rapidly metabolized by the liver. Oral, and transdermal administration is particularly challenging because testosterone is metabolized by 5-alpha reductase enzyme in the skin or GI brush-border layer to dihydrotestosterone resulting in supraphysiological levels of DHT. The plasma half-life of testosterone is short, i.e., about 10 to 30 minutes. (Auterhoff, H., et al., “Lehrbuch der Pharmazeutischen Chemie” [Textbook of Pharmaceutical Chemistry], 12th ed., pp. 570-573, Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft mbh [publisher], Stuttgart, 1991.) Testosterone is rapidly metabolized by the liver to DHT and other metabolites. To achieve a physiological serum level, oral administration of 400 mg of testosterone is needed (S. G. Johnson, et al., Therapeutic effectiveness of oral testosterone, Lancet 2:1974, 1473-1475).

To prolong the action of testosterone, testosterone esters with varying chain length (testosterone propionate, testosterone enanthate, testosterone undecanoate, etc.) have been developed for intramuscular injection as an oily solution or suspension. It is known that in contact with body fluids these esters will slowly hydrolyze under the action of esterases thus releasing the pharmacologically active testosterone. The influence of the type of ester on the growth of the capon comb after i.m. injection has already been described (Meier, R. and Tschopp, E., Arch. Exptl. Pathol. Pharmacol. 226:1955, 532).

One testosterone undecanoate dosage form presently in clinical development in the United States is commercially known as Aveed® (Nebido® outside of the United States) and contains 250 mg/mL of testosterone undecanoate in castor oil and benzyl benzoate. Administrations of 2, 3 or 4 mL of the formulation (500, 750, 1000 mg TU) by i.m. injection demonstrated irritation at the site of injection, pulmonary oil embolism and/or injection anaphylactic reactions. Overseas the formulation (1000 mg TU in 4 mL; other ingredients: castor oil and benzyl benzoate) has been approved for use in various countries and the recommended administration regimen is 1000 mg initial administration, an optional second 1000 mg dose as soon as 6 weeks, then 1000 mg every subsequent 10-14 weeks.

Oral preparations of androgens are rare. U.S. Pat. No. 8,241,664 describes a SEDDS formulation of testosterone undecanoate (TU) using digestible oils, hydrophilic surfactants, and hydrophobic surfactants. Patent Application No. 2010/0173882 describes delayed release formulations of testosterone undecanoate (TU) which reduce the C_(max) by 5-15% relative to the C_(max) of an immediate release formulation of Andriol® Testocaps® at the same dose (U.S. Pat. No. 7,138,389; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0075961; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0305177).

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0287203 describes a Castor oil formulation of testosterone undecanoate in a pharmaceutically acceptable liquid carrier, characterized in that the liquid carrier comprises at least 50% by weight of Castor oil. The formulation also contains a lipophilic surfactant such as Lauroglycol™ 35%. The final formulation contains 53% w/w of Castor oil, 35% Lauroglycol™, and 12% testosterone undecanoate. This formulation is currently marketed in Europe and more than 86 other countries as Andriol® or Andriol® Testocaps®. An earlier formulation containing testosterone undecanoate in oleic acid is marketed under various trade names in different countries, e.g. Andriol® or Restandol®. Andriol®, Restandol® or Andriol® Testocaps® is provided as a soft-gelatin capsule formulation containing 40 mg of TU. The PK profile and DHT/T ratios of Andriol® Testocaps® have been reported (Provide references)

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0251167 describes preparation of SEDDS of testosterone undecanoate and compares the in-vitro release of SEDDS with Andriol® Testocaps®. The SEDDS formulations used in this patent application contain oleic acid, cremophore RH40, peppermint oil and borage oil. Cremophor RH40 is a preferred hydrophilic surfactant and a preferred lipophilic surfactant is oleic acid. Borage oil and peppermint oil are both considered lipophilic digestible lipids. Details of single dose, repeat dose, and food effect study in hypogonadal men along with the PK profiles of T, DHT, TU and DHTU are provided. It was found that the SEDDS formulation released approximately 40% TU within the first 30 minutes and about 60% of the total capsule after 4 hours in fed state media. For the Andriol® Testocaps®, however, there is little to no drug released (1%) for the entire 4 hours. The observed major difference in the dissolution of TU from these two formulations can be attributed, at least in part, to the presence of the hydrophilic surfactant, e.g., Cremophor RH40, in the SEDDS formulation. In contrast, Andriol Testocaps® incorporates an oil (castor oil) and a lipophilic surfactant (propylene glycol laureate) only.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0135069 describes preparation of nanonized testosterone esters using solid lipid matrix (stearic acid). U.S. Patent Application 2012/0135074 and 2012/0148675 describe compositions of testosterone undecanoate in various solubilizer to achieve a conc. Of 14-35% as solution, mixture of crystalline and solution, and as solids.

Other routes of androgen administration (parenteral, intramuscular, transdermal, nasal, sublingual, buccal, subcutaneous) have been studied by various research groups (for example, by N. A. Mazer, W. E. Heiber, J. F. Moellmer, A. W. Meikle, J. D. Stringham, S. W. Sanders, K. G. Tolman and W. D. Odell, Enhanced transdermal delivery of testosterone: A new physiological approach for androgen replacement in hypogonadal men, J. Controll. Rel. 19:1992, 347-362).

Drawbacks of the aforementioned therapies are as follows: 1) the therapies can have a too short effect on the systemic testosterone level, with a rapid decrease in the level shortly after an increase resulting from an oral administration; 2) the therapies' lack of individual time control of the testosterone action (in the case of i.m. injection of testosterone esters) due to the inability to change the constantly set testosterone level over a long period of time (days to weeks to months); 3) the presence of a significant food effect upon oral administration; 4) the elevation of DHT levels above physiological normal levels due to the metabolism of testosterone and its esters in organs with high 5-α-reductase activity and 5) where the therapies are in gel form, they may be hazardous to children or others, e.g., where a third party comes in contact with the skin after topical administration. The FDA issued a black box warning in May 2009 for all testosterone dermal gel products.

Despite the promise shown by some of the recent SEDDS formulation of testosterone undecanoate reported in above patent applications, no oral testosterone replacement therapy has yet been approved by FDA. In consequence, the art continues to seek improvements in methods of drug delivery that achieve almost complete release of TU in stomach and upper intestine in fasted and fed states. In particular, improved formulations with fast release, enhanced and extended absorption, minimal food effect and unique pharmacokinetic profile for oral testosterone and/or testosterone esters administration are highly desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS), self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) and self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) formulations with unique properties of spontaneity, homogeneity, dispersability, and fast release of a therapeutic agent. In one aspect the therapeutic agent is a solubilized lipophilic drug.

In one aspect the invention relates to an emulsion, microemulsion or nanoemulsion formulation concentrate for pharmaceutical administration of one or more therapeutic agents, the formulation comprising: a) at least one lipophilic, poorly water soluble therapeutic agent; b) a digestible lipid; c) a water-soluble surfactant; d) a water-insoluble surfactant; e) a phytosterol and/or phytosterol fatty acid esters; and f) a solubilizer wherein the formulation is self-emulsifying.

In another aspect the invention relates to an emulsion, microemulsion or nanoemulsion formulation concentrate for pharmaceutical administration of one or more therapeutic agents, the formulation comprising: a) at least one lipophilic, poorly water soluble therapeutic agent; b) a digestible lipid; c) a water-soluble surfactant; d) a water-insoluble surfactant; e) a phytosterol and/or phytosterol fatty acid esters; and f) dl-alpha-tocopherol, wherein the formulation is self-emulsifying.

In one aspect, the invention relates to a self-dispersing pharmaceutical composition comprising: (a) 2.5-37.5 percent by weight of a solubilized lipophilic drug; (b) 5-37.5 percent by weight of a hydrophilic surfactant; (c) 15-65 percent by weight of a lipophilic surfactant; (d) 5-37.5% percent by weight of phytosterol esters; (e) 0-15 percent by weight of a solubilizer; and (f) 0-15 percent by weight of a digestible oil, wherein the composition is self-dispersing when added to water and forms an emulsion, micro-emulsion, or nano-emulsion.

In another aspect, the invention relates to a self-dispersing pharmaceutical composition comprising: (a) 10-37.5 percent by weight of solubilized testosterone undecanoate; (b) 5-37.5 percent by weight of hydrogenated castor oil ethoxylate selected from the group consisting of Cremophor RH40, Kolliphor RH40 and Cremophor EL-35; (c) 15-65 percent by weight of Maisine 35-1, Oleic acid, Imwitor 742, Capmul MCM, or Caproyl 90, Lauroglycol 90 or Lauroglycol FCC; (d) 5-37.5% phytosterol esters; (e) 0-15 percent by weight of dl-alpha-tocopherol; and (f) 0-15 percent castor oil, wherein the composition is self-dispersing when added to water and forms an emulsion, micro-emulsion, or nano-emulsion.

In a further aspect, the invention relates to a self-dispersing pharmaceutical composition comprising: (a) 15-25 percent by weight of solubilized testosterone undecanoate; (b) 15-25 percent by weight of a hydrogenated castor oil ethoxylate selected from the group consisting of Cremophor RH40, Kolliphor RH40 and Cremophor EL-35; (c) 15-45 percent by weight of Maisine 35-1; (d) 10-25% phytosterol esters; and (e) 10-25 percent by weight of dl-alpha-tocopherol, wherein the composition is self-dispersing when added to water and forms an emulsion, microemulsion, or nanoemulsion.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a self-dispersing pharmaceutical composition comprising: (a) 10-25 percent by weight of solubilized testosterone undecanoate; (b) 10-15 percent by weight of hydrogenated castor oil ethoxylate selected from the group consisting of Cremophor RH40, Kolliphor RH40 and Cremophor EL-35; (c) 15-65 percent by weight of Maisine 35-1, Oleic acid, Imwitor 742, Lauroglycol or combination thereof; (d) 10-25% phytosterol esters; and (e) 0-5 percent by weight of dl-alpha-tocopherol, wherein the composition is self-dispersing when added to water and forms emulsion or micro-emulsions.

Other aspects, features and embodiments of the invention will be more fully apparent from the ensuing disclosure and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of the process used to obtain formulations of the invention (Table 20), as described in Example 8.

FIG. 2 shows dissolution curves of testosterone undecanoate Formulations 9 (Table 2), 51, 53 and 55 (Table 20), as compared to known preparations described in Example 1 of US2010/0173882.

FIG. 3 shows dissolution curves of testosterone undecanoate Formulations 17 (Table 5), 28 (Table 10), 39 (Table 14), 56, 57 (Table 27) and 58 (Table 21).

FIG. 4 shows dissolution curves of testosterone undecanoate from formulations 59, 60, and 61 (Table 22).

FIG. 5A is a mean PK profile of testosterone undecanoate resulting from treatments A through F described in Table 23 dosed to 4 beagle dogs after eating a high fat meal. FIG. 5B is the mean PK profile of testosterone for the same treatments A-F.

FIG. 6 shows the mean testosterone concentration in beagle dogs dosed with 80 mg testosterone undecanoate in Formulations 54 and 52 (Table 20). Values are the mean values obtained from a single group of 4 dogs. Phytosterols (400 mg) were co-dosed on both occasions.

FIG. 7 shows the mean testosterone and DHT concentration profile in 4 beagle dogs dosed with 80 mg testosterone undecanoate in formulation 52 (Table 20), with and without 5 mg finasteride. Phytosterols (400 mg) were co-dosed on both occasions.

FIG. 8 shows the mean testosterone and DHT concentration profile in 4 beagle dogs dosed with 80 mg testosterone undecanoate in formulation 52 (Table 20), with and without 0.5 mg dutasteride. Phytosterols (400 mg) were co-dosed on both occasions.

FIG. 9 shows the mean testosterone concentration profile in three beagle dog groups (4 per group) dosed with 80 mg testosterone undecanoate in formulation 52 (Table 20) and 400 or 800 mg of phytosterols.

FIG. 10 shows the average testosterone and DHT exposures (ng-h/mL) for a study of 6 treatments G-L each containing 80 mg TU, as provided in Example 5.

FIG. 11 shows the DHT/T ratios for 4 beagle dogs dosed with three treatments each containing 80 mg TU, as provided in Example 5. All treatments were co-dosed with 400 mg phytosterols.

FIG. 12 shows the predicted average human concentrations of testosterone and DHT resulting from dosing with Treatments I, K, and L as described in Table 24.

FIGS. 13A-13B provide a table and Pseudo-phase diagrams for compositions of Testosterone Undecanoate (25%): Cremophor RH40: Imwitor 742: CardioAid-S dispersed in water 1:250 as described in Examples 10 and 11. Percent release measured at 60 minutes. The Z-average droplet size was determined by photon correlation spectroscopy.

FIGS. 14A-14B provide a table and Pseudo-phase diagrams for compositions of Testosterone Undecanoate (25%): Cremophor RH40: Imwitor 742: Castor oil: CardioAid-S dispersed in water 1:250 as described in Examples 10 and 11. Percent release measured at 60 minutes. The Z-average droplet size was determined by photon correlation spectroscopy.

FIGS. 15A-15B provide a table and Pseudo-phase diagrams for compositions of Testosterone Undecanoate (25%): Cremophor RH40: Imwitor 742: CardioAid-S: Oleic acid dispersed in water 1:250 as described in Examples 10 and 11. Percent release measured at 60 minutes. The Z-average droplet size was determined by photon correlation spectroscopy.

FIGS. 16A-16B provide a table and Pseudo-phase diagrams for compositions of Testosterone Undecanoate (25%): Cremophor RH40: Imwitor 742: CardioAid-S: Maisine 35-1 dispersed in water 1:250 as described in Examples 10 and 11. Percent release measured at 60 minutes. The Z-average droplet size was determined by photon correlation spectroscopy.

FIG. 17 provides the pharmacokinetic profile of testosterone on Day 7 of 7-days of twice-daily dosing of formulation E-87, 80 mg TU capsules at dose levels of 160 mg, 240 mg, and 320 mg TU.

FIG. 18 provides the pharmacokinetic profiles of testosterone following administration of a single dose of each of five formulations (100 mg capsules), at a dose of 500 mg TU. Formulations E-81 through E-85 are shown and labeled F1 through F5, respectively.

FIG. 19 provides the pharmacokinetic profile of testosterone on Day 7 of 7-days of twice-daily dosing of 500 mg TU as formulation E-81, 100 mg TU per capsule. Error bars are one standard deviation.

FIG. 20 provides the pharmacokinetic profile of dihydrotestosterone on Day 7 of 7-days of twice-daily dosing of 500 mg TU as formulation E-81, 100 mg TU per capsule. Error bars are one standard deviation.

FIG. 21 provides the twenty-four-hour TU PK profile for twice daily dose of formulation E-81, 500 mg TU, Day 7 of 7 days of twice-daily dosing.

FIG. 22 provides the twenty-four-hour DHTU PK profile for twice daily dose of formulation E-81, 500 mg TU, Day 7 of 7 days of twice-daily dosing.

FIG. 23 provides the twelve-hour TU PK profile for single dose of formulation E-82, 500 mg TU.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS THEREOF

The present invention relates to self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS), self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) and self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) formulations with unique properties of spontaneity, homogeneity, dispersability, and fast release of a therapeutic agent when administered to a subject in need of such therapeutic agent.

It is noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “and”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Specifically, a formulation or composition of the invention includes a combination of one or more therapeutic agents and a sterol or sterol ester, where inclusion of the sterol or sterol ester provides an additive or synergistic effect with respect to one or more of: solubility, stability, absorption, metabolism, and pharmacokinetic profile of the therapeutic agent. By inclusion of a sterol or sterol ester, smaller amounts of a therapeutic agent are required in the formulation, to achieve a desired pharmacokinetic profile of the therapeutic agent in the subject that is similar to that achieved with a larger amount of therapeutic agent administered without the sterol or sterol ester. In a preferred embodiment the sterol is a phytosterol. A formulation of the invention further includes a non-sterol solubilizer to further modulate the pharmacokinetic profile of the therapeutic agent upon administration of the formulation.

Specifically, the present invention relates to lipid-based formulation approaches, particularly the self emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS) or selfmicroemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS), or selfnanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS). The formulations described herein contain a therapeutic agent in substantially solubilized form. The formulations improve the bioavailability and pharmacokinetic profile of the therapeutic agent after oral, administration and/or improve patient compliance through an easily followed dosing regimen.

The invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions containing such formulations and methods of making and methods of using such formulations.

The formulations of the invention are formulations for the oral, parenteral, intramuscular, transdermal, nasal, sublingual, buccal and/or subcutaneous administration of a therapeutic agent. The therapeutic agent contained in such formulation can be generally lipophilic in nature (with a log P greater than 2, wherein P is the intrinsic octanol:water partition coefficient) and poorly water soluble. “Poorly water soluble,” as referred to herein, refers to drugs for which the dose is not soluble in 250 mL of aqueous solution across a pH range of 1.0 to 7.5. This definition is used in The Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) Guidance published in 2005 by the US Food and Drug Administration. “Lipophilic” as used herein refers to a therapeutic agent that is soluble in lipids, such as fats, oils, and the like. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the invention provides a formulation where a lipid is provided as a solubilizer with the therapeutic agent, so that the administered therapeutic agent is bioavailable, exhibits desirable pharmacokinetic profile and any effects of food on the oral bioavailability of the therapeutic agent are minimized. Furthermore, hydrophobic drugs defined herein encompass both those drugs which are inherently hydrophobic (i.e., having a log P of at least 2) as well otherwise hydrophobic medicaments that have been rendered hydrophobic with suitable modification (e.g., by conjugation to fatty acids and/or lipids).

The therapeutic agent herein may also be referred to herein as an “active agent,” “drug” or “pharmacologically active agent.” The above-listed terms interchangeably refer to a chemical material or compound which, when administered to an organism (human or animal), is generally bioavailable and induces a desired pharmacologic effect.

Examples of therapeutic agents having the above-described characteristics and therefore capable of administration in formulations of the invention include, but are not limited to: analgesics, anti-inflammatory agents, anti-helminthics, anti-arrhythmic agents, anti-asthma agents, anti-bacterial agents, anti-viral agents, anti-coagulants, anti-depressants, anti-diabetics, anti-epileptics, anti-fungal agents, anti-gout agents, anti-hypertensive agents, anti-malarials, anti-migraine agents, anti-muscarinic agents, anti-neoplastic agents, immunosuppressants, anti-protozoal agents, anti-thyroid agents, anti-tussives, anxiolytics, sedatives, hypnotics, neuroleptics, β-blockers, cardic inotropic agents, cell adhesion inhibitors, corticosteroids, cytokine receptor activity modulators, diuretics, anti-parkinsonian agents, gastro-intestinal agents, histamine H-receptor antagonists, keratolytics, lipid regulating agents, muscle relaxants, nitrates and other anti-anginal agents, non-steroid anti-asthma agents, nutritional agents, opioid analgesics, sex hormones, stimulants and anti-erectile dysfunction agents.

Additionally, the therapeutic agent may be selected from any agent that is traditionally used as a medicament and lends itself to being administered via oral or parenteral (such as intramuscular, transdermal, nasal, sublingual, buccal and subcutaneous) routes of administration. Such therapeutic agents may be chemotherapeutics; antimycotics; oral contraceptives, nicotine or nicotine replacement agents, minerals, analgesics, antacids, muscle relaxants, antihistamines, decongestants, anesthetics, antitussives, diuretics, anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, antivirals, psychotherapeutic agents, anti-diabetic agents and cardiovascular agents, nutraceuticals and nutritional supplements.

Additional therapeutic agents for administration via formulations of the invention include vitamins and co-enzymes including, but not limited to, water or fat soluble vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, nicotinic acid, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid, biotin, flavin, choline, inositol and paraminobenzoic acid, carnitine, vitamin C, vitamin D and its analogs, vitamin A and the carotenoids, retinoic acid, vitamin E and vitamin K and Coenzyme Q10.

The therapeutic agent of formulations of the invention may also be selected from botanical bioactive agents, such as: polyphenols, isoflavones, resveratrol, soy isoflavones, grape seed extract polyphenols, curcumin, policosanols, and epigenin; anti-inflammatory plant extracts such as aloe vera, echinacea and chamomile hammamelis extracts; anti-psoriatic plant extracts, such as chinese zizipus jujube; astringents plant extracts such as hammamelis; anti bacterial plant extracts such as artemisia, chamomile, and golden seal; immune modulators such as Echinacea; anti-aging or anti-cancer or anti-photo damage agents; anti-inflammatory agents, such as feverfew parthenolides, rejuvenation agents, carotenoids, beta-carotene, lycopene, astaxanthons, lutein, tocopheryl and retinol.

The therapeutic agent of formulations of the invention may also include coronary drugs, including vasodilators such as nitroglycerin and isosorbide dinitrate, calcium-antagonists such as verapamile, nifedipine and diltiazem, and cardiac-glycosides such as digoxine. Other therapeutic agents that can be usefully administered in the broad practice of the invention include analgesics such as morphine, buprenorphine, etc., and local anaesthetics such as lidocaine, and the like.

Still further, the therapeutic agent of a formulation of the invention may be selected from cholesterol-lowering and triglycerides-lowering drugs: fenofibrate, lovastatin, simvastatin, pravastatin, fluvastatin, atorvastatin, or cerivastatin; anxiolytics, sedatives and hypnotics: diazepam, nitrazepam, flurazepam, estazolam, flunitrazepam, triazolam, alprazolam, midazolam, temazepam, lormetazepam, brotizolam, clobazam, clonazepam, lorazepam, oxazepam, buspirone, and the like; migraine relieving agents: sumatriptan, ergotamines and derivatives, and the like; drugs for combating motion sickness: cinnarizine, anti-histamines, and the like; anti-emetics: ondansetron, tropisetron, granisetrone, metoclopramide, and the like; disulfiram; and vitamin K.

Further examples of therapeutic agents for use in formulations of the invention include: chemotherapeutic agents, including, but not limited to: cisplatin (CDDP), procarbazine, mechlorethamine, cyclophosphamide, camptothecin, ifosfamide, melphalan, chlorambucil, bisulfan, nitrosurea, dactinomycin, daunorubicin, doxorubicin, bleomycin, plicomycin, mitomycin, etoposide (VP16), tamoxifen, taxol, transplatinum, 5-fluorouracil, vincristin, vinblastin and methotrexate, or any analog or derivative variant thereof; antibiotic drugs: Tetracyclines such as tetracycline, doxycycline, oxytetracycline, chloramphenicol etc.; Macrolides such as erythromycin and derivatives, etc.; Antivirals: such as acyclovir, idoxuridine, tromantadine etc.; Antimycotics: Miconazole, ketoconazole, fluconazole, itraconazole, econazole, terconazole, griseofulvin, and polyenes such as amphotericin B or nystatine etc. Anti-amoebics: Metronidazole, metronidazole benzoate and tinidazole etc.; Anti-inflammatory drugs: steroids or NSAIDs such as indomethacin, ibuprofen, piroxicam, diclofenac etc.; Anti-allergics: Disodium cromoglycate etc.; Immunosuppressive agents: cyclosporins etc.; Antimicrobial agents that may be used include, but are not limited to, naficillin, oxacillin, vancomycin, clindamycin, erythromycin, trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole, rifampin, ciprofloxacin, broad spectrum penicillin, amoxicillin, gentamicin, ceftriazoxone, cefotaxime, chloramphenicol, clavunate, sulbactam, probenecid, doxycycline, spectinomycin, cefixime, penicillin G, minocycline, β-lactamase inhibitors; meziocillin, piperacillin, aztreonam, norfloxacin, trimethoprim, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone and dapsone; Antifungal agents include, but are not limited to: ketoconazole, fluconazole, nystatin, itraconazole, clomitrazole, and amphotericin B. Antiviral agents, include, but are not limited to: acyclovir, trifluridine, idoxorudine, foscarnet, ganciclovir, zidovudine, dideoxycytosine, dideoxyinosine, stavudine, famciclovir, didanosine, zalcitabine, rifimantadine, and cytokines. Antihistamines useful for therapeutic administration include, but are not limited to: cimetidine, ranitidine, diphenydramine, prylamine, promethazine, chlorpheniramine, chlorcyclizine, terfenadine, carbinoxamine maleate, clemastine fumarate, diphenhydramine hydrochloride, dimenhydrinate, prilamine maleate, tripelennamine hydrochloride, tripelennamine citrate, chlorpheniramine maleate, bromphenirarnine maleate, hydroxyzine pamoate, hydroxyzine hydrochloride, cyclizine lactate, cyclizine hydrochloride, meclizine hydrochloride, acrivastine, cetirizine hydrochloride, astemizole, levocabastine hydrochloride, and loratadine. Decongestants and antitussives includ, but are not limited to: dextromethorphan, levopropoxyphene napsylate, noscapine, carbetapentane, caramiphen, chlophedianol, pseudoephedrine hydrochloride, diphenhydramine, glaucine, pholcodine, and benzonatate. Other therapeutic agents administerable in formulations of the invention include: anesthetics, such as: etomidate, ketamine, propofol, and benodiazapines (e.g., chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, clorezepate, halazepam, flurazepam, quazepam, estazolam, triazolam, alprozolm, midazolam, temazepam, oxazepam, lorazepam), benzocaine, dyclonine, bupivacaine, etidocaine, lidocaine, mepivacaine, promoxine, prilocaine, procaine, proparcaine, ropivacaine, and tetracaine. Other useful agents may include: amobartital, aprobarbital, butabarbital, butalbital mephobarbital, methohexital, pentobarbital, phenobarbital, secobarbital, thiopental, paral, chloral hydrate, ethchlorvynol, clutethimide, methprylon, ethinamate, and meprobamate; Analgesics, including, but not limited to: opioids such as morphine, mepidine, dentanyl, sufentranil, alfentanil, aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, indomethacine, naproxen, atrin, isocome, midrin, axotal, firinal, phrenilin, ergot and ergot derivatives (wigraine, cafergot, ergostat, ergomar, dihydroergotamine), imitrex; Diuretics including, but not limited to: acetazolamide, dichlorphenamide, methazolamide, furosemide, bumetanide, ethacrynic acid torseimde, azosemide, muzolimine, piretanide, tripamide, bendroflumethiazide, benzthiazide, chlorothiazide, hydrochlorothiazide, hydroflumethiazide, methyclothiazide, polythiazide, trichlormethiazide, indapamide, metolazone, quinethazone, amiloride, triamterene, sprionolactone, canrenone, and potassium canrenoate; Anti-inflammatories including, but not limited to: salicylic acid derivatives (e.g. aspirin) paraminophenol derivative (e.g. acetaminophen) indole and indene acetic acids (indomethacin, sulindac and etodalac) heteroaryl acetic acids (tolmetin diclofenac and ketorolac) aryl propionic acid derivatives (ibuprofen, naproxen, ketoprofen, fenopren, oxaprozine), anthranilic acids (mefenamic acid, meclofenamic acid) enolic acids (piroxicam, tenoxicam, phenylbutazone and oxyphenthatrazone); Psychotherapeutic agents including, but not limited to: thorazine, serentil, mellaril, millazine, tindal, permitil, prolixin, trilafon, stelazine, suprazine, taractan, navan, clozaril, haldol, halperon, loxitane, moban, orap, risperdal, alprazolam, chlordiaepoxide, clonezepam, clorezepate, diazepam, halazepam, lorazepam, oxazepam, prazepam, buspirone, elvavil, anafranil, adapin, sinequan, tofranil, surmontil, asendin, norpramin, pertofrane, ludiomil, pamelor, vivactil, prozac, luvox, paxil, zoloft, effexor, serzone, desyrel, nardil, parnate, eldepryl; Cardiovascular agents including, but not limited to: nitroglycerin, isosorbide dinitrate, sodium nitroprisside, captopril, enalapril, enalaprilat, quinapril, lisinopril, ramipril, losartan, amrinone, lirinone, vesnerinone, hydralazine, nicorandil, prozasin, doxazosin, bunazosin, tamulosin, yohimbine, propanolol, metoprolol, nadolol, atenolol, timolol, esmolol, pindolol, acebutolol, labetalol, phentolamine, carvedilol, bucindolol, verapamil, nifedipine, amlodipine and dobutamine.

The compositions of the invention, in various embodiments provide effective formulations for oral, parenteral, intramuscular, transdermal, nasal, sublingual, buccal and/or subcutaneous administration of androgens as the therapeutic agent.

Androgens have diverse effects in many tissues. Recent studies have begun to elucidate the mechanisms of their anabolic effects. The mechanistic understanding is leading to an increase in clinical usefulness for many disease states. The strongest indication for the use of androgens is for replacement therapy in hypogonadal men to maintain sexual function and libido, muscle strength, and prevent the development of osteoporosis. Another use is for the stimulation of erythropoiesis in condition of bone marrow suppression such as aplastic anaemia.

As men age, testosterone concentrations are reduced and considerable interest has developed over the use of physiologic doses of testosterone to return concentrations to the level of young men. Testosterone administration increases muscle protein synthesis, muscle strength, improve mood and quality of life in older men. There is also considerable interest in the use of androgens as replacement therapy in post-menopausal women and the benefits of improvement in muscle strength, sexuality and libido are compelling in this group of women.

Androgens have also shown clinical usefulness in the treatment of muscle wasting syndromes. In men with AIDS wasting syndrome, there was a direct relationship between the loss of lean body mass and the degree of hypogonadism present in the disease. Testosterone replacement in men and women with AIDS wasting syndrome increases weight gain in this debilitating condition. Androgens have also shown anabolic effects on muscular dystrophy, metabolic syndrome, and Alzheimer disease (Diab. Nutr. Metab. 12:339-343, 1999).

Androgen-containing formulations are therefore of interest in preparations for male contraception and male HRT (hormone replacement therapy). Androgens can also be used in the female, e.g. as androgen replacement therapy in postmenopausal women. Androgens may particularly be used as a replacement for or a supplement to endogenous testosterone. Thus, e.g., in male HRT, androgen is administered in order to relieve the undesired effects of the (partial) androgen-deficiency including, but not limited to, effects on bone mineral density, changes in body composition, reduction of sexual interests and erectile dysfunction. In one embodiment, the invention provides androgen-containing formulations useful for administration of androgens to a subject in need of such administration.

In one embodiment, the therapeutic agent of a formulation of the invention may be selected from testosterone and esters thereof. Testosterone esters may include, but are not limited to, any C₁-C₂₄ esters of testosterone, including testosterone proprionate, testosterone enanthate, testosterone cypionate, testosterone undecanoate, testosterone cyclohexylmethylcarbonate, and testosterone triglyceride. Additional testosterone esters can include, but are not limited to, formate, acetate, butyrate, valerate, hexanoate, heptanoate, octanoate, nonanoate, and decanoate. In one embodiment, the therapeutic agent is a testosterone ester with a carbon structure that is linear or branched, and saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. In another embodiment the testosterone ester is a short chain (e.g. C₂-C₆) fatty acid ester. In a still further embodiment the testosterone ester is a medium chain (e.g., C₇-C₁₃) fatty acid ester, such as, but not limited to testosterone cypionate, testosterone octanoate, testosterone enanthate, testosterone decanoate, and testosterone undecanoate.

As used herein, the identification of a carbon number range, e.g., in C₁-C₁₂ alkyl, is intended to include each of the component carbon number moieties within such range, so that each intervening carbon number and any other stated or intervening carbon number value in that stated range, is encompassed, it being further understood that sub-ranges of carbon number within specified carbon number ranges may independently be included in smaller carbon number ranges, within the scope of the invention, and that ranges of carbon numbers specifically excluding a carbon number or numbers are included in the invention, and sub-ranges excluding either or both of carbon number limits of specified ranges are also included in the invention. Accordingly, C₁-C₁₂ alkyl is intended to include methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, undecyl and dodecyl, including straight chain as well as branched groups of such types. It therefore is to be appreciated that identification of a carbon number range, e.g., C₁-C₁₂, as broadly applicable to a substituent moiety, enables, in specific embodiments of the invention, the carbon number range to be further restricted, as a sub-group of moieties having a carbon number range within the broader specification of the substituent moiety. By way of example, the carbon number range e.g., C₁-C₁ alkyl, may be more restrictively specified, in particular embodiments of the invention, to encompass sub-ranges such as C₁-C₄ alkyl, C₂-C₈ alkyl, C₂-C₄ alkyl, C₃-C₅ alkyl, or any other sub-range within the broad carbon number range.

“Alkyls” as used herein include, but are not limited to, methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, s-butyl, t-butyl, pentyl and isopentyl and the like. “Aryls” as used herein includes hydrocarbons derived from benzene or a benzene derivative that are unsaturated aromatic carbocyclic groups of from 6 to 10 carbon atoms. The aryls may have a single or multiple rings. The term “aryl” as used herein also includes substituted aryls. Examples include, but are not limited to phenyl, naphthyl, xylene, phenylethane, substituted phenyl, substituted naphthyl, substituted xylene, substituted phenylethane and the like. “Cycloalkyls” as used herein include, but are not limited to cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl and the like. In all chemical formulae herein, a range of carbon numbers will be regarded as specifying a sequence of consecutive alternative carbon-containing moieties, including all moieties containing numbers of carbon atoms intermediate the endpoint values of carbon number in the specific range as well as moieties containing numbers of carbon atoms equal to an endpoint value of the specific range, e.g., C₁-C₆, is inclusive of C₁, C₂, C₃, C₄, C₅ and C₆, and each of such broader ranges may be further limitingly specified with reference to carbon numbers within such ranges, as sub-ranges thereof. Thus, for example, the range C₁-C₆ would be inclusive of and can be further limited by specification of sub-ranges such as C₁-C₃, C₁-C₄, C₂-C₆, C₄-C₆, etc. within the scope of the broader range.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the therapeutic agent is selected from testosterone and/or testosterone undecanoate (TU). In a further embodiment, the formulation contains a combination of testosterone and one or more testosterone esters as therapeutic agents, where the ratio of testosterone to testosterone ester is from about 0:100 or 100:0 to about 1:1, preferably from about 1:10 to about 1:3 or from about 10:1 to about 3:1. In various other embodiments, the ratio of testosterone to testosterone ester may be in a range having a lower value of any of 0, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.33, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 and having an upper value of any of 90.5, 91.0, 91.25, 91.5, 91.75, 92.0, 93.0, 94.0, 95.0, 97.5, 99.0, 99.5, 99.75, 99.9, 99.95 and 100.0. In a preferred embodiment, the formulation contains testosterone and/or TU as therapeutic agents.

As used herein, references to the amounts of therapeutic agents as percent by weight of a formulation may be made as equivalent to T. For purposes of such calculations with regard to testosterone esters, it is noted that 100 mg of T is equivalent to 139 mg testosterone enanthate, 158 mg testosterone undecanoate, 143 mg testosterone cypionate, and 183 mg testosterone palmitate. Amounts of therapeutic agents included in formulations of the invention may be proportionally adjusted, relative to testosterone.

Lipid-based formulation approaches, particularly the self-emulsifying drug delivery system SEDDS, SMEDDS and SNEDDS are well known for their potential as alternative strategies for delivery of hydrophobic drugs, which are associated with poor water solubility and low oral bioavailability. SEDDS/SMEDDS/SNEDDS formulations are isotropic mixtures of an oil, a surfactant, a cosurfactant (or solubilizer), and a drug. The basic principle of this system is its ability to form fine oil in-water (o/w) microemulsions under gentle agitation following dilution by aqueous phases (i.e., the digestive motility of the stomach and intestine provide the agitation required for selfemulsification in vivo in the lumen of the gut). This spontaneous formation of an emulsion in the gastrointestinal tract presents the drug in a solubilized form, and the small size of the formed droplet provides a large interfacial surface area for drug absorption. Apart from solubilization, the presence of lipid in the formulation further helps improve bioavailability by affecting the drug absorption. Selection of a suitable self-emulsifying formulation depends upon the assessment of (1) the solubility of the drug in various components, (2) the area of the self-emulsifying region as obtained in the phase diagram, (3) the droplet size distribution of the resultant emulsion following self-emulsification, and (4) the release rate of the drug after dispersion in intestinal fluids.

Testosterone undecanoate (TU) is an esterified prodrug of the male hormone testosterone (T) used as hormone replacement therapy to treat low-T conditions in adolescents and adult men. Based on its solubility across physiological relevant pH conditions and absorption characteristic, TU is classified in the Biopharmaceutical classification system as a class II dug. Low solubility of TU across the physiological pH range and extensive first pass metabolism (intestinal & liver) is reported to result in low and variable systemic exposure. TU is reported to have an oral bioavailability of about 7% when dosed with normal fat meal (30% calories from fat) using a solution of TU in oleic acid. TU is a highly lipophilic compound and has good solubility in triglycerides and di-glycerides. More than 80% of TU is absorbed via the intestinal lymphatic system. Testosterone is absorbed via the portal route and has an oral bioavailability of 1% when dosed as a suspension in oil.

In one embodiment the present invention relates to self-emulsified drug delivery system (SEDDS), self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) and self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS) formulations with unique properties of spontaneity, homogeneity, dispersability, and fast release of TU when diluted with water (1:100) or 1:250), FaSSIF (1:500), and FeSSIF (1:900). As demonstrated herein, the some of the compositions were observed to confer surprising pharmacokinetic profiles of testosterone undecanoate, dihydrotestosterone undecanoate, testosterone, and dihydrotestosterone.

The evaluation of self-emulsifying lipid formulations performance is typically assessed by five parameters including excipient miscibility, spontaneity, dispersibility, homogeneity, and physical appearance. Equilibrium phase studies are conducted to investigate the phase changes of the anhydrous formulation in response to aqueous dilution. Droplet size studies are carried out to assess the influence of lipid and surfactant portions on the resulted droplet size upon aqueous dilution. Increasing the polarity of the lipid portion in the formulation leads to progressive solubilization capacity. In addition, formulations containing medium chain mixed glycerides and hydrophilic surfactants showed lower droplet size compared with their long chain and lipophilic counterparts. The inclusion of mixed glycerides in the lipid formulations enormously enhances the formulation efficiency.

Factors which contribute to almost complete release of drug in the gastrointestinal milieu are not very well understood. Some of the in-vitro properties which are known to effect the drug release are: 1) particle size of the SEDDS, SMEDDS and SNEDDS after dispersion; 2) hydrophilic surfactant level; 3) hydrophobic surfactant level; 4) levels of medium and long chain mono, -di, -triglycerides; and 5) the post-digestion fate of the fatty acid and glycerides portions of the formulation.

In consideration of the above, the invention, in one embodiment, provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising a poorly water soluble therapeutic agent formulated as SEDDS or SMEDDS or SNEDDS formulation, wherein the composition further comprises, in addition to the therapeutic agent, a lipophilic surfactant, a hydrophilic surfactant, one or more solubilizers and, optionally, digestible oils. In a particular embodiment the therapeutic agent is testosterone undecanoate and at least one solubilizer comprises phytosterols or phytosterol esters. In a particular embodiment the composition is formulated for oral administration.

Compositions of the invention, by virtue of their formulation as SEDDS or SMEDDS or SNEDDS formulations achieve desired characteristics upon administration to patients in need of such treatment.

In one embodiment of the present invention, an oral pharmaceutical composition is provided comprising testosterone undecanote formulated as SEDDS or SMEDDS or SNEDDS composition, which upon once- or twice-daily oral administration, provides an average serum testosterone concentration at steady state falling in the range of about 300 to about 1140 ng/dL. The pharmaceutical composition provides a C_(max) that, when administered with a meal, does not exceed 2500 ng/dL, preferably does not exceed 1800 ng/dL, and most preferably does not exceed 1500 ng/dL.

In another embodiment of the present invention, an oral pharmaceutical composition is provided comprising testosterone undecanoate (TU) formulated as SEDDS or SMEDDS or SNEDDS composition, which upon once- or twice-daily oral administration, provides a testosterone undecanoate pharmacokinetic (PK) profile which exhibits two maxima following a single dose of TU. Specifically, the first peak may range from 25% to 300% of the maximum concentration of the second peak. The two maxima are separated by 1 to 5 hours, preferably about 3 hours. The pharmaceutical composition, when administered and producing this two maxima profile produces a testosterone PK profile having the characteristics of a modified release profile, namely an extended level of testosterone over 2 to 5 hours. Preferably, the concentration of testosterone at the plateau is in the normal physiological range for the patient receiving the pharmaceutical composition. Other published PK profiles of TU following oral TU administration do not possess this surprising characteristic (see Yin et al. J. of Andrology (2012) 33: 190-201; and Schnabel et al.).

In a further embodiment of the present invention, an oral pharmaceutical composition is provided comprising testosterone undecanoate (TU) formulated as SEDDS or SMEDDS or SNEDDS composition, which upon once- or twice-daily oral administration, provides a DHT/T ratio which is surprisingly near to physiological values. US 2011/0251167 A1 provides a table of DIIT/T ratios for various testosterone replacement therapies. The lowest value reported for an oral TU pharmaceutical product is 0.24 to 0.25. The formulations described herein provide a mean value over 24 hours of about 0.18. The DHT/T ratio is important as DHT is a major metabolite of testosterone, is the primary androgen to which the human male prostate gland responds, and is considered to be responsible for prostate enlargement, typically observed as benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH).

In a still further embodiment of the present invention, an oral pharmaceutical composition is provided comprising testosterone undecanoate (TU) formulated as SEDDS or SMEDDS or SNEDDS composition, which upon once- or twice-daily oral administration to hypogonadal subjects, the formulations are effective to obtain a C_(avg) of the evening dose about 20% less than the C_(avg) of the morning dose. In another embodiment when administered twice a day to hypogonadal subjects, the formulations are effective to obtain a C_(avg) of the evening dose about same as the C_(avg) of the morning dose. In a still further embodiment the C_(avg) 0-24 DHT/T ratio is 5-25% less than DHT/T ratio of formulations without phytosterols esters.

In another embodiment of the invention, the SEDDS or SMEDDS or SNEDDS formulations release greater than about 80% of TU in <15 min when dispersed in simulated gastric fluid (SIF) or fasted state simulated intestinal fluid (FaSSIF) or fed state simulated intestinal fluid (FeSSIF). In particular embodiments of the invention, the formulations release greater than about 10%, greater than about 20%, greater than about 30%, greater than about 40%, greater than about 50%, greater than about 60%, greater than about 70%, greater than about 80%, greater than about 90% of dissolved testosterone undecanoate in 60 minutes when dispersed in a dissolution media selected from the group consisting of water, Fasted State Simulated Intestinal Fluid (FaSSIF), and Fed State Simulated Intestinal Fluid (FeSSIF).

In a further embodiment of the invention, the SEDDS or SMEDDS or SNEDDS formulations exhibit a percent release in vitro in water, indicating release from the composition of substantially all of the solubilized testosterone ester within about 1 hour.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the SEDDS or SMEDDS or SNEDDS formulations exhibit a percent in vitro dissolution profile in 5% SLS, indicating release from the composition of substantially all of the solubilized testosterone ester 30 minutes.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the SEDDS or SMEDDS or SNEDDS formulations exhibit a percent in vitro dissolution profile in phosphate buffered saline, indicating release from the composition of substantially all of the solubilized testosterone ester within about 1 hour.

In a preferred embodiment the therapeutic agent of formulations of the invention is TU, which when administered no more than twice a day to hypogonadal males, provides average steady state serum levels (concentrations) of testosterone in such males, which fall within a desired “normal” or eugonadal range (i.e., about 300-1140 ng/dL). Moreover, the formulations of the invention are designed to be self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) or self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems (SMEDDS) or self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS) so that a TU-containing emulsion or microemulsion or nanoemulsion is formed upon mixing with intestinal fluids in the gastrointestinal tract.

In one embodiment of the present invention, testosterone and/or esters at the C-17 position of the testosterone molecule, alone or in combination with other active ingredients, may be orally delivered using the SEDDS/SMEDDS/SNEDDS formulations. For example, various embodiments testosterone undecanoate may be combined with an orally active inhibitor of Type I or Type II Sa-reductase or with a synthetic progestin or with a PDE V inhibitor, as discussed herein.

While many of the embodiments of the present invention are described and exemplified with the undecanoate acid ester of testosterone (i.e., TU), other esters of hydrophobic compounds, including T, are contemplated and may be utilized, based on the teachings of the specification. It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from the teachings herein that the SEDDS, SMEDDS, and SNEDDS and compositions therefrom will be suitable for oral delivery of other testosterone esters, such as short-chain (C₂-C₆), medium-chain (C₇-C₁₃) and long-chain (C₁₄-C₂₄) fatty acid esters, preferably medium-chain fatty acid esters of testosterone.

One important consideration when formulating a SEDDS/SMEDDS/SNEDDS is avoiding precipitation of the drug on dilution in the gut lumen in vivo. Therefore, the components used in the system should have high solubilization capacity for the drug, ensuring the solubilization of the drug in the resultant dispersion.

In one embodiment SEDDS/SMEDDS/SNEDDS formulations of the invention comprise a T-ester dissolved in phytosterol fatty acid esters and a mixture comprising one or more lipophilic surfactants and one or more hydrophilic surfactants. A lipophilic surfactant as defined herein is water insoluble and has a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) value of less than 10, preferably less than 5 and more preferably a HLB of 1 to 2. HLB is an empirical expression for the relationship of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups of a surface active amphiphilic molecule, such as a surfactant. It is used to index surfactants and its value varies from about 1 to about 45 and includes both non-ionic and ionic surfactants. It is well known that the higher the HLB, the more water soluble/dispersible the surfactant. Exemplary lipophilic surfactants include, but are not limited to, Maisine 35-1, Imwitor 742, Capmul MCM, Caproyl 90, a fatty acid selected from the group consisting of octanoic acid, decanoic acid, undecanoic acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid.

According to one aspect of the present invention, each of the components of a delivery system (i.e., the phytosterols fatty acid esters, the lipophilic and hydrophilic surfactants) individually have solubilizing characteristics and contribute, in part, to solubilizing the active ingredient. Those lipophilic surfactants that contribute substantially to dissolving the drug may be referred to herein as “primary” solvent(s).

It should be appreciated, however, that solubility can also be affected by the temperature of the solvent/formulation. Formulations of the present invention comprising, for example, about 35% testosterone undecanoate, remain soluble at or above 30° C., including in the range of 37 to about 50° C.

A hydrophilic surfactant component may be necessary to achieve desirable dispersability of the SEDDS/SMEDDS/SNEDDS formulation in the GI tract and release of the drug. That is, a hydrophilic surfactant, in addition to serving as a secondary solvent, may be required to release the drug from within the phytosterol lipid carrier matrix, or primary solvent. In this respect, a high HLB surfactant, such as Cremophor RH40, can generally suffice. The levels (amounts) of the high HLB surfactant can be adjusted to provide optimum drug release without compromising the solubilization of the active ingredient. A hydrophilic surfactant as defined herein is water soluble and has an HLB value of greater than 10. Exemplary hydrophilic surfactants may include, but are not limited to polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, hydrogenated castor oil ethoxylates, PEG mono- and di-esters of palmitic and stearic acids, fatty acid ethoxylates, and combinations thereof.

In a further embodiment, SEDDS/SMEDDS/SNEDDS formulations of the invention additionally contain more than one lipophilic surfactants and/or more than one hydrophilic surfactants.

As mentioned, in one aspect of the present invention, each of the components of a delivery system (i.e., the phytosterols fatty acid esters, the lipophilic and hydrophilic surfactants) of the invention individually has solvent characteristics and contributes, in part, to solubilizing the active ingredient. In this way, without being bound by or limited to theory, the present invention does not require additional solvents, such as cosolvents, but these may be optionally included in the inventive systems and formulations.

Optional cosolvents useful in SEDDS/SMEDDS/SNEDDS formulations of the invention may include, but are not limited to, water, short chain mono-, di-, and polyhydric alcohols, such as ethanol, benzyl alcohol, glycerol, propylene glycol, propylene carbonate, polyethylene glycol with an average molecular weight of about 200 to about 10,000, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether (e.g., Transcutol HP), and combinations thereof. Preferably, such cosolvents, especially ethanol or other monoethanols, are excluded altogether. Dl-alpha-tocopherol is a good cosolvent and may also serve as an antioxidant to enhance the stability of the SEDDS/SMEDDS/SNEDDS.

In one embodiment a SEDDS/SMEDDS/SNEDDS formulation of the invention optionally includes dl-alpha-tocopherol as a cosolvent. Such cosolvent is present in an amount of about 0% to about 25%, in particular embodiments present in ranges of about 0% to about 15% and about 0% to about 5%.

Yet other optional ingredients which may be included in the compositions of the present invention are those which are conventionally used in oil-based drug delivery systems, e.g., antioxidants such as tocopherol, tocopherol acetate, ascorbic acid, butylhydroxytoluene (BHT), ascorbyl palmitate, butylhydroxyanisole and propyl gallate; pH stabilizers such as citric acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, acetic acid, glycine, arginine, lysine and potassium hydrogen phosphate; thickeners/suspending agents such as hydrogenated vegetable oils, beeswax, colloidal silicon dioxide, mannitol, gums, celluloses, silicates, bentonite; flavoring agents such as cherry, lemon and aniseed flavors; sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfane K, sucralose, saccharin and cyclamates; etc.

In SEDDS/SMEDDS/SNEDDS formulations of the invention the relative proportions of the phytosterols fatty acid esters, one or more lipophilic surfactants and one or more hydrophilic surfactants are critical to achieving the desired pharmacokinetic profiles of the present invention. More specifically, the formulations of the invention possess a ratio of total lipophilic surfactant and total phytosterols fatty acid esters, which is not only able to solubilize a relatively large amount of T-ester (e.g., greater than 15%, 18%, 20%, or 25%,) but one that is also able to provide optimum release of the T-ester from within the formulation. Preferably, the total lipophilic surfactants (e.g., oleic acid+Imwitor 742 or oleic acid+Maisine 35-1, all of which are considered lipophilic surfactants) to phytosterols fatty acid esters ratio (w/w) falls in the range of about 1:2 to 9:1, and more preferably, from about 6:1 to 1:1, and most preferably, from about 2:1 to 1:1.

Therefore in a particular embodiment the invention relates to an emulsion, microemulsion or nanoemulsion formulation concentrate for pharmaceutical administration of one or more therapeutic agents, the formulation comprising: a) at least one lipophilic, poorly water soluble therapeutic agent; b) a digestible lipid; c) a water-soluble surfactant; d) a water-insoluble surfactant; e) a phytosterol and/or phytosterol fatty acid esters; and f) at least one solubilizer, wherein the formulation is self-emulsifying. In one embodiment dl-alpha-tocopherol is included as a solubilizer in addition to any solubilizing activity of the phytosterol and/or phytosterol fatty acid esters.

In a further embodiment the invention provides a self-dispersing pharmaceutical composition comprising the following, where the percentages are based on the total weight of the formulation:

-   -   Hydrophilic surfactant: about 5% to about 37.5%, preferably         about 10% to about 25%, more preferably about 10% to about 20%,         and most preferably about 10% to about 15%;     -   Lipophilic surfactant: about 15 to 70%, preferably, about 50% to         about 70%, more preferably about 50% to about 65%, and most         preferably about 50% to about 55%;     -   Phytosterols fatty acid esters: about 5% to about 37.5%, more         preferably about 10% to about 37.5%, and most preferably about         10% to about 25%;     -   Therapeutic agent: about 2.5% to about 37.5%, preferably about         10% to about 35%, more preferably about 15% to about 25%, and         most preferably about 18% to about 25%.

In still another embodiment, a SEDDS/SMEDDS/SNEDDS formulation of the invention contains a digestible lipid or digestible oil. Such oils may be selected from, but are not limited to mono- and di-glycerides, and polyethoxylated derivatives of mono- and di-glycerides. In one embodiment the digestible oil is selected from, but is not limited to a a vegetable oil selected from the group consisting of soybean oil, safflower seed oil, corn oil, olive oil, castor oil, cottonseed oil, arachis oil, sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil, evening primrose oil, grape seed oil, wheat germ oil, sesame oil, avocado oil, almond oil, borage oil, peppermint oil and apricot kernel oil and other known digestible oils.

A formulation of the invention that includes digestible oils include such in a self-dispersing pharmaceutical composition comprising about 0% to about 15%, by weight based on the total weight of the formulation.

The characteristics and performance of SEDDS/SMEDDS/SNEDDS formulations of the invention may be attributed to the selection of components and the amounts thereof. In particular, the ratio of hydrophilic surfactant to lipophilic surfactant, as well as the absolute amount of the hydrophilic surfactant will function in determination of the particle size and the release rate of the resultant formulation.

In another embodiment the SEDDS/SMEDDS/SNEDDS of the invention contain polyoxyl 40 hydrogenated castor oil (herein referred to as “Cremophor RH40”) as a surfactant, a medium chain mono- and diglyceride (herein referred to as “Imwitor 742”) and/or a long chain mono- and diglyceride (herein referred as “Masine 35-1”), Lauroylglycol, and oleic acid as a cosurfactant, phytosterol fatty acid esters and/or Vitamin E (dl-alpha-tocopherol) as a solubilizer, and TU. The preferred amount of Cremophor is 10-37.5 wt %. The preferred amount of the cosurfactant is 15-60 wt. %. The preferred amount of solubilizer is 10-37.5 wt. %. The preferred amount of the TU is 15-37.5 wt. %. The SEDDS/SMEDDS/SNEDDS are in the form of a liquid or semi-solid mass that is then introduced into soft or hard gelatin/HPMC capsules.

In a still further embodiment of the present invention, a self-dispersing pharmaceutical composition is provided comprising:

-   -   (a) 15 to 37.5, preferably 15 to 25 percent by weight of a         solubilized testosterone undecanoate;     -   (b) 10-37.5 percent by weight of at least one hydrophilic         surfactant;     -   (c) 10-60 percent by weight of at least one lipophilic         surfactant;     -   (d) 5-45, preferably 5 to 25 percent by weight of phytosterol         esters where the composition, upon oral administration to a         subject in need thereof, is effective to result in a serum         testosterone in the normal range of 300-1140 ng/dL. Cremophor         RH40 is a preferred hydrophilic surfactant and a preferred         lipophilic surfactant is Imwitor 742. In addition, to Cremophor         RH40, Solutol HS-15, Tween 80 and TPGS are also useful         hydrophilic surfactants; and, in addition to Imwitor 742,         propylene glycol laurate (Lauroglycol 90 and Lauroglycol FCC),         Caproyl 90, Labrafil 1944, oleic acid, Maisine 35-1 and Capmul         MCM are also useful lipophilic surfactants.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a method of treating testosterone deficiency is provided, the method comprising orally administering to a hypogonadal subject an effective amount of a self-dispersing pharmaceutical composition comprising:

-   -   (a) 15 to 37.5, preferably 15 to 25 percent by weight of a         solubilized testosterone undecanoate;     -   (b) 10-37.5 percent by weight of at least one hydrophilic         surfactant;     -   (c) 10-60 percent by weight of at least one lipophilic         surfactant;     -   (d) 5-45, preferably 5 to 25 percent by weight of phytosterol         esters whose once- or twice-daily oral administration gives rise         to an average (or a mean) steady state serum testosterone         concentration, C_(ave), falling in the range of about 300 and         about 1140 ng/dL in the subject. The composition is administered         with a meal whose calorie content from fat ranges from about 15         wt % to about 50 wt % or more, more preferably a meal containing         about 30% of calories from the fat content of the meal.

The formulations of the present invention have self-emulsifying properties, forming a fine emulsion or microemulsion or nanoemulsion upon dilution with aqueous media or intestinal fluids in vivo. In other words, the formulations may have high surfactant and lipid content designed for optimum dispersion upon mixing with an aqueous medium. Qualitative description of the self-emulsification property of the inventive formulations can be visually observed during the dissolution of same in vitro. On the other hand, quantitative measurements may be taken of the particle size of the emulsified droplets using laser light scattering and/or turbidity measurements in the dissolution medium by UV/VIS spectrophotometer. Any of these methodologies are available and known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

Particle size determination following self microemulsification is a critical factor to evaluate a self microemulsion system as droplet size is reported to have an effect on drug absorption. The smaller is the droplet size, the larger is the interfacial surface area provided for drug absorption (Armand M, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999; 70:1096-106.). The optimization of SEDDS/SMEDDS/SNEDDS was based on microemulsion domain obtained and particle size of SMEDDS. The formulations of Examples 9-11 and FIGS. 13-16 demonstrate formation self-emulsifying formulations in various droplet size ranges, including less than about 100 nm, between about 100 nm and about 200 nm, and greater than about 200 nm. In a further embodiment the formulations have a particle size of from about 250 nm to about 4000 nm. In a still further embodiment the formulations have a particle size of greater than about 4000 nm. In a particular embodiment the formulation has a particle size with a z-average within this range of particle sizes, which are the boundaries of droplet size for SNEDDS, SMEDDS and SEDDS.

Formulations containing SEDDS/SMEDDS/SNEDDS are filled into capsules. Therefore, the incorporation of self-emulsifying vehicles into a powder to produce solid dosage forms would be of great interest. Recently, pellets containing a self-emulsifying mixture were prepared by extrusion-spheronization. Solid-state microemulsion for the delivery of cyclosporin also was prepared by coating the premicroemulsion with an enteric material. Similarly, a solvent-evaporation method was used to prepare tocopheryl nicotinate tablets using calcium silicates as the adsorbing agent. Such methods often require elaborate processing and instrumentation. On the other hand, solid solutions and liquisolids were produced by blending liquid medications with selected powder excipients to produce free-flowing, readily compressible powders. Such excipients include cellulose or lactose as the carriers and fine silicates as the coating material. Using a similar approach, a solid dosage form based on microemulsion adsorbed onto colloidal silicon dioxide and microcrystalline cellulose was introduced. In most cases as well as in the case of liquisolids, however, adsorbed oil- or lipid-based formulations form a thin film of oil on the surface of the powder. This film causes particles to adhere and produces a mass that exhibits poor flow and tableting characteristics. To improve flow and compaction properties, oil loading is reduced, or fine particulates such as silicates or cellulosic materials are added.

The pharmaceutical compositions according to the present invention are preferably liquid or semi-solid at ambient temperatures. Furthermore, these pharmaceutical compositions can be transformed into solid dosage forms through adsorption onto solid carrier particles, such as silicon dioxide, calcium silicate or magnesium aluminometasilicate to obtain free-flowing powders which can be either filled into hard capsules or compressed into tablets. See, e.g., US 2003/0072798, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. Hence, the term “solubilized” herein, should be interpreted to describe an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), which is dissolved in a liquid solution or which is uniformly dispersed in a solid carrier.

The instant invention preferably comprises an API that is solubilized in the presence of phytosterols fatty acid esters, lipid surfactant excipients (e.g., any combination of the lipophilic and hydrophilic surfactants noted above). Accordingly, the melting point of the surfactants used is one factor that can determine whether the resulting composition will be liquid or semi-solid at ambient temperature. Particularly preferred compositions of the present invention are liquid oral unit dosage forms, more preferably filled into hard or soft capsules, e.g. gelatin or non-gelatin capsules such as those made of cellulose, carrageenan, or pollulan. The technology for encapsulating lipid-based pharmaceutical preparations is well known to one of ordinary skill in the art. As the inventive delivery systems and formulations described herein are not limited to any one encapsulation method, specific encapsulation techniques need not be discussed further.

The invention in one embodiment provides a dosage form of testosterone undecanoate is provided comprising testosterone undecanote solubilized in a carrier comprising at least one lipophilic surfactant and at least one hydrophilic surfactant, and at least one solubilizer, phytosterol fatty acid esters and/or dl-alpha-tocopherol, which dosage form, upon once- or twice-daily oral administration to a subject suffering from hypogonadism or its symptoms, provides an average serum testosterone concentration at steady state falling in the range of about 300 to about 1140 ng/dL. The composition is administered with a meal whose calorie content from fat ranges from about 15 wt % to about 50 wt % or more, more preferably a meal containing about 30% of calories from the fat content of the meal.

The invention in another embodiment provides a dosage form of testosterone undecanoate is provided comprising testosterone undecanote solubilized in a carrier comprising at least one lipophilic surfactant and at least one hydrophilic surfactant, and at least one solubilizer, phytosterol fatty acid esters and/or dl-alpha-tocopherol, where the phytosterols are mixtures of sterols naturally occurring in plant matter, and where phytosterol fatty acid esters are the above plant sterols esterified industrially with canola and other vegetable oils. Phytosterols and phytosterol fatty acid esters are purchased from ADM or Cargill or BASF. Phytosterol fatty acid esters supplied by ADM are known as Cardioaid-S.

The drug carrier systems and pharmaceutical preparations according to the present invention may be prepared by conventional techniques for lipid-based drug carrier systems. In a typical procedure for the preparation of the preferred carrier systems of this invention, phytosterols fatty acid esters, and a lipophilic surfactant component is weighed out into a suitable stainless steel vessel and a hydrophilic surfactant component is then weighed and added to the container along with any additional components. In a preferred method, the hydrophobic drug may be first added to phytosterols fatty acid esters and completely dissolved before adding the lipophilic surfactant and hydrophilic surfactant components. In another method the hydrophobic drug is added after combination of phytosterols, surfactant components and solubilizers and/or oils, if using, in order to form an emulsion preconcentrate. In any case, mixing of the components may be effected by use of a homogenizing mixer or other high shear device and high temperature particularly when high melting point surfactants are used to ensure that all components are in homogenous liquid state before or after the addition of the drug.

The pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention are useful for testosterone therapy. Testosterone is the main endogenous androgen in men. Leydig cells in the testes produce approximately 7 mg of testosterone each day resulting in serum concentrations ranging from about 300 to about 1140 ng/dL. Women also synthesize testosterone in both the ovary and adrenal gland, but the amount is about one-tenth that observed in eugonadal men. The majority (>98%) of circulating testosterone is bound to sex hormone binding globulin and albumin and is biologically active only when released in the free form. The term “free” is thus defined as not being bound to or confined within, for example, biomolecules, cells and/or lipid matrices of the inventive formulations described herein. Generally, “free” medicaments described herein refer to medicament that is accessible to metabolic enzymes circulating in serum.

While the present invention is not limited to the delivery of testosterone or any particular ester thereof, TU has been found to offer unique chemical and physical characteristics that make its use preferable in some embodiments.

Furthermore, the inventors have surprisingly discovered that the use of TU and phytosterols fatty esters in the formulations of the present invention is associated with a substantially lower serum DHT to T ratio than has been reported for other forms as well as oral formulations of TU without phytosterol fatty acid esters (US2012/0135069, Roth et al., 2012). Testosterone interacts with androgen receptors either directly or following its conversion to DHT via the action of 5α-reductase. DHT is a more potent androgen than testosterone and its elevated levels are thought by some scientists to increase the risk of prostate cancer. In this way, the present invention provides yet another unexpected advantage over other known testosterone delivery vehicles.

Additionally, by varying the ratio of phytosterols fatty acid esters to lipophilic surfactants (e.g., oleic acid, Imwitor 742, Maisine 35-1, lauroglycol and combinations thereof), as described more fully in the Examples herein, the absorption profile of TU & DHTU and PK profile of T & DHT can be modulated to minimize sharp Cmax peaks resulting in flatter PK profile relative to formulations not containing phytosterols fatty acid esters. The absorption profiles of TU & DHTU and PK profiles of T & DHT for formulation compositions without phytosterols fatty acid esters have been published (US2012/0135069, Roth et al., 2012) In a particular embodiment, the PK profile is modulated by varying one or more of digestible oils, phytosterols and/or phytosterol esters, lipopholic surfactant, hydrophilic surfactant, and dl-alpha-tocopherol in the formulation. In a further embodiment, the T_(max) of the formulation may be modulated by increasing the phytosterols and/or phytosterol esters in the formulation.

Specific embodiments of the instant invention are provided in the below non-limiting examples. Tables 33 and 44 provide composition details of various SEDDS/SMEDDS/SNEDDS formulations of TU, in accordance with the teachings of the instant invention. For calculation purposes, 1 mg of T is equivalent to 1.58 mg T-undecanoate.

It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that surfactants within a category (e.g., lipophilic, hydrophilic, etc.) may be exchanged with another surfactant from the same category. Thus, while Table 32 lists formulations comprising oleic acid, Imwitor 742, Caproyl 90, Capmul MCM, Maisine 35-1, one of ordinary skill in the art should recognize other lipophilic surfactants (e.g., those listed above) may be suitable as well. Similarly, while Table 32 lists formulations comprising Cremophor RH40 (HLB=13), one of ordinary skill in the art should recognize other hydrophilic surfactants (e.g., those listed above) may be suitable.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the pharmaceutical compositions disclosed herein may also be suitable for ameliorating some of the side-effects of certain strategies for male contraception. For example, progestin-based male contraception substantially suppresses luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and thereby suppresses spermatogenesis, resulting in clinical azoospermia (defined as less than about 1 million sperm/mL semen for 2 consecutive months). However, administration of progestins also has the undesirable side-effect of significantly reducing steady-state serum testosterone levels.

In such situations, for example, it may be preferable to provide preparations of progestin concomitantly with testosterone or a testosterone derivative (e.g., TU). More preferably, a pharmaceutical preparation according to the invention is provided, comprising progestin—in an amount sufficient to substantially suppress LH and FSH production—in combination with testosterone. In some embodiments, the pharmaceutical preparation is for once-daily, oral delivery.

In a still further embodiment of the present invention, the pharmaceutical compositions disclosed herein may also be suitable for ameliorating some of the side-effects of testosterone administration such as, but not limited to minimize the HDL-C lowering effect observed with currently available testosterone and/or testosterone ester products delivered via oral, parenteral, intramuscular, transdermal, nasal, sublingual, buccal and/or subcutaneous routes of administration.

Formulations of the present invention can provide extended release formulations that can deliver testosterone into the serum over several hours. Indeed, the half-life of serum testosterone according to the invention is between 3 and 7 hours, preferably greater than 4, 5, or 6 hours. The serum half-life of testosterone in men, by contrast, is considered to be in the range of 10 to 100 minutes.

Without being bound by or limited to theory, it is believed that the formulations presented herein achieve these results, in one aspect, by enhancing absorption of a medicament therein by the intestinal lymphatic system rather than by way of portal circulation. In another aspect, again without being bound by or limited to theory, it is believed that by using an ester of testosterone, the time required for de-esterification to occur contributes to a longer T half-life.

Oral dosages of the present invention can be taken by a patient in need of testosterone therapy once every about twelve hours to maintain desirable levels of serum testosterone. In a more preferred embodiment, oral dosages are taken by a patient in need of testosterone therapy once every about twenty four hours. In general, “desirable” testosterone levels are those levels found in a human subject characterized as not having testosterone deficiency. In one embodiment the patient in need of a testosterone therapy is selected from an adult male, an adult female, and an adolescent human.

The invention addresses the problem of providing an orally active androgen formulation that is well absorbed in the human body. It has been well established by dog (Shacideford J. Pharmacol. and Exp. Ther., 925-933, 2003) and human studies that testosterone undecanoate is absorbed almost exclusively via the intestinal lymphatics (Coert et al., Acta Endocrinol (Copenh), 789-800, 1975; Nieschlag et al., Acta Endocrinol (Copenh), 366-374, 1975; Horst et al., Klin Wochenschr, 875-879, 1976), thereby bypassing hepatic metabolism.

Particularly, the invention provides SEDDS, SMEDDS and/or SNEDDS formulations of testosterone undecanoate containing phytosterols which enhances lymphatic absorption of TU by about 10% to about 300% over current commercial products, Andriol® Testocaps®, and known SEDDS formulations (U.S. Patent Application No. 2008/0317844; U.S. Patent Application No. 2010/0173882). The invention also provides a formulation of TU and/or testosterone that has a higher strength than currently known TU formulations. One embodiment of the present invention also contemplates a formulation that releases the therapeutic agent into the patient's system at physiologically effective levels, over a period of up to 12 hours. Preferably, the formulation releases the therapeutic agent into the patient's system at physiologically effective levels over a period of up to 24 hours.

The invention provides embodiments where the formulation is effective for any of immediate release of the therapeutic agent, sustained release of the therapeutic agent, delayed release of the therapeutic agent, and/or any other modified release of the therapeutic agent. In one embodiment the invention provides a composition formulated for a combination of immediate and modified release of testosterone and/or testosterone esters.

The oral administration of hormones such as testosterone or estrogen has proven challenging. Testosterone is generally administered by oral ingestion in a bonded form as testosterone undecanoate, methyltestosterone, or testosterone cyclodextrin complex, to avoid the first pass effect. When administered in a regimen of hormone replacement therapy, it is desired to have sustained release properties, yet these forms of testosterone must be taken multiple times daily.

It was a general belief that testosterone itself could not be administered by oral ingestion. According to The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 10th ed., by Goodman and Gilman, oral administration of testosterone leads to absorption into the hepatic circulation but results in rapid metabolism by the liver. Therefore, oral ingestion is ineffective in delivering testosterone systemically. However, some researchers have further investigated oral administration of testosterone.

Svend Johnsen et al., in the publication entitled “Therapeutic Effectiveness of Oral Testosterone,” (Johnsen et al., Lancet, 1974, 21; 2(7895):1473-5) described an oral administration of 200 mg of micronized testosterone, with a particle size in the range of 2 to 5 microns, to four patients with no testicular function. It was found that, for a period of about 5 to 7 hours, the total serum testosterone of the patient was in the range of about 300 to 900 ng/dL. Johnsen et al. recommended 200 mg testosterone administered twice daily. However, Johnsen et al. failed to address improving the pharmacokinetic properties of testosterone in order to administer the dose only once a day.

Marie Fogh et al., in the publication entitled “Serum-Testosterone During Oral Administration of Testosterone in Hypogonadal Men and Transsexual Women,” (Føgh et al., Acta. Endocrinol. (Copenhagen), 1978, 87(3):643-9) described an oral administration of 200 mg of micronized testosterone twice daily. The two doses provided total serum testosterone within the normal range for greater than about 12 hours. A single 200 mg dose of orally administered testosterone with a particle size in the range of about 125-400 microns provided a total serum testosterone in the normal range for from about 5 to 7 hours. In view of the large doses required to maintain the desired serum levels of testosterone, and the possible side effects of such doses, Fogh et al. recommended not administering testosterone orally.

P. R. Daggett et al., in the article entitled “Oral Testosterone, a Reappraisal,” (Daggett, et al., Horm Res. 1978, 9(3):121-9) described an oral administration of 200 mg of micronized testosterone twice daily. The dosage provided a double peak effect, with a desired level of serum testosterone for about 4 hours for each peak. Daggett et al. found that the administration of oral testosterone was “unsuitable for routine use.”

Nicschlag et al., in the publication entitled “Influence of Sex, Testicular Development and Liver Function on the Bioavailability of Oral Testosterone,” (Nieschlag et al., Eur. J. Clin. Invest. 1977, 7(2):145-7) described orally administering 63 mg of testosterone in arachis oil to hypogonadal men. The serum level of testosterone rose to the desired level for a period of about 1 to 2 hours. Nieschlag et al. stated that oral testosterone “should be considered with caution, since higher testosterone doses would be needed to exceed the developing capacity of the liver to metabolize testosterone.”

In the context of a general consensus that testosterone cannot be efficaciously orally administered, none of the above references discusses the possibility of providing sustained release properties or combining testosterone with a testosterone ester to modulate the release profile.

“Modified release,” as used herein, generally refers to release of a drug that differs from immediate release of the drug under the same conditions via the same route of administration. Modified release may include each of immediate release, sustained release and delayed release. “Sustained release,” as used herein, generally refers to release of a drug whereby the level of drug available to the patient is maintained at some level over a desired period of time. A variety of methods and formulations are used to provide sustained release of drugs. U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,439, describing methods of sustained release, is hereby incorporated by reference.

In one embodiment of the invention, the desired resulting level of total serum testosterone in a subject is in the range of from about 300 to about 1100 ng/dL in a male subject and in the range of from about 30 to about 110 ng/dL in a female subject. A formulation of the present invention, with testosterone or TU as the therapeutic agent delivers the desired level of serum testosterone for a minimum time period of about 8 to about 12 hours. After administration of a formulation of the invention with testosterone or TU as the therapeutic agent, the desired level of serum testosterone may be maintained for more than 12 hours. In a further embodiment the desired level of serum testosterone may be maintained for about 24 hours.

In exemplary formulations of the invention, the formulation is designed for administration three times a day (tid), two times a day (bid), or once a day (qd). Administration of a formulation of the invention may be by any regimen that achieves the desired resulting level of total serum testosterone in the target subject.

The formulation and methods of the present invention provide the ability to administer testosterone and/or testosterone ester in combination with sterols and/or sterol esters to achieve improved sustained release properties, as described more fully herein. In one embodiment, the administration is oral delivery. In other embodiments, the administration is parenteral, transdermal, nasal, sublingual, buccal or subcutaneous.

While various embodiments herein describe oral delivery of formulations and pharmaceutical compositions containing the therapeutic agent, it is further envisioned that the delivery of the drug is performed by any suitable delivery mechanism that provides therapeutically effective levels of the therapeutic agent. Other delivery routes that are compatible with the selected therapeutic agent and sterols or sterol esters are also contemplated as within the invention. Accordingly, delivery methods of formulations or pharmaceutical compositions described herein include, but are not limited to sublingual administration, buccal administration, parenteral administration, intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration, intravenous (i.v.) administration, intraarterial (i.a.) administration, topical administration, transdermal administration, intradermal (i.d.) administration, intramuscular (i.m.) administration, subcutaneous (sc) administration, and nasal administration.

In a further embodiment the invention provides a formulation including more than one therapeutic agent. Where a second therapeutic agent is included in a formulation of the invention, the weight ratio of the primary therapeutic agent to the secondary therapeutic agent may be varied and will depend upon the effective dose of each ingredient. Each therapeutic agent contained in the composition or dosage form will be present in a therapeutically effective amount.

As described in detail above, the low bioavailability of a therapeutic agent caused by the high first-pass effect in the liver can be reduced by optimizing lymphatic absorption of the therapeutic agent. The present invention enables enhancement of the lymphatic absorption of testosterone esters and/or a combination of testosterone with testosterone esters, by formulations including sterols. In one embodiment, the sterols are phytosterols. It is shown herein that sterols, phytosterols and/or phytosterol esters modulate the solubility, stability, absorption, metabolism and pharmacokinetic profile of therapeutic agents that are lipophilic.

In another embodiment, the invention provides a SEDDS, SMEDDS and/or SNEDDS formulation for the administration of a therapeutic agent in which the formulation contains a sterol in addition to the therapeutic agent, to provide desired properties of solubility, stability, absorption, metabolism and/or pharmacokinetic profile of the therapeutic agent. In a particular embodiment, the therapeutic agent is selected from testosterone and testosterone undecanoate.

As used herein, “stability” includes the stability of both the formulation and the therapeutic agent, both prior to administration and after administration to an individual. An improved stability prior to administration enables longer shelf life, less protective packaging, or storage at more aggressive environments. An improved stability after administration enables improved pharmacokinetic properties, such as higher exposure, or longer duration of action.

“Sterols,” as used herein, include all of plant, animal and fungal sterols. The sterols may be pure or may be a mixture of sterols. In one embodiment, the sterol is cholesterol. In another embodiment, the sterol is a “phytosterol,” a plant sterol or stanol, used herein to refer generally to plant-derived sterols or plant-derived stanols, phytochemicals that are added to foods, or supplements. Use of the term sterols also includes sterol esters, of any of plant-derived, animal-derived or fungal-derived sterol. “Sterol esters,” as used herein refer to plant sterols or stanols that have been esterified by creating an ester bond between a fatty acid and the sterol or stanol. Fatty acids used in esterification are plant-derived, animal-derived or fungal-derived. Esterification occurs in intestinal cells and is also an industrial process. Esterification may make plant sterols and stanols more fat-soluble so they are easily incorporated into fat-containing foods, including margarines and salad dressings. Exemplary sterols useful in the invention may include, but are not limited to, phytosterols, cholesterol, beta-sitosterol, and/or sitostanol. In a particular embodiment a formulation of the invention comprises a phytosterol, phytosterol ester and/or phytosterol fatty acid ester.

Prior to the present invention, it was well known that a fed state or a fasting state of the subject could severely interfere with the delivery of a therapeutic agent to that subject. As described above, the interactions between food and drugs should be individually evaluated.

The pioneering work of Borgstrom et al. (J. Clin Invest; 36:1521-1529, 1957) and Carey et al. (Am J Med; 49:590-598, 1970), as well as many others, contributed to the finding that the bile acid mixed micelle (BAMM) in the fed state and the bile acid (BA) micelle in the fasted state constitute the endogenous surfactant system that is responsible for the delivery or presentation of extremely lipophilic drugs to the enterocyte brush border region.

Cholesterol with a C log P (calculated log P) of 12 and a water solubility of ˜10 ng/mL is efficiently absorbed from the intestine by presentation of cholesterol dissolved in the BAMM droplets to the enterocyte brush border mucosa with subsequent collisional transfer to the glycocalyx. Many other extremely insoluble and lipophilic compounds are absorbed more efficiently in the fed state where the BAMM is present. The BAMM system is more effective than the BA system because of the higher miceller concentration in the fed as compared to the fasted state. The plant phytosterols which are present in food have similar C log P and solubility but are slightly different in structure of the side chain and displace a significant percentage of cholesterol from the BAMM and reduce cholesterol absorption.

Accordingly, the present inventor selected sterols for investigation as providing a modulating effect on the solubility, stability, absorption, metabolism and/or PK profile of various lipophilic drugs. The modulating effect provided by sterols in formulations and methods of the invention is dependent upon the concentration of the sterols. In a particular embodiment the sterols are phytosterols dissolved in a formulation and/or co-dosed as a solid with a formulation. Since phytosterols are very lipophilic in nature (log P=12), high concentration of phytosterols suspended in lipid-based formulations bind strongly to the lipophilic drugs making the drug insoluble and unavailable for absorption. However, phytosterols dissolved in the lipid-based formulation to saturation (about 1% to about 20%) increase the solubility of the lipophilic drug, and increase bioavailability. (Tables 1-20 and FIGS. 5 and 6 ).

In food effect studies done to date and guidance issued by regulatory agencies, the fat content of the diet and its influence on the drug absorption has been emphasized. No attention has been given to the types of fat (saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, etc.) and the amount of cholesterol or plant sterols present in each meal. The vegetable oils contain a number of sterols that differ from cholesterol by having ethyl or methyl groups or unsaturation in the side chain. The predominant ones-sitosterol, stigmasterol, and campesterol—can be present in Western diets in amounts almost equal to dietary cholesterol (Miettinen T A, Tilvis R S, Kesuniemi Y A. Am J Epidemiol. 1990; 131:20-31). The most prominent is ß-sitosterol, which differs from cholesterol in that it has an ethyl group at carbon 24 of the side chain. In the early 1950s it was noted that the addition of sitosterol to the diet of cholesterol-fed chickens or rabbits lowered cholesterol levels in both species and inhibited atherogenesis in the latter (Pollak O J, Kritchevsky D. Monogr Atherosclerosis, 1981; 10:1-219). Sitosterol or mixtures of soy sterols were studied extensively as cholesterol-lowering agents between 1950 and 1960 (Lees A M, Mok H Y I, Lees R S, McCluskey M A, Grundy S M. Atherosclerosis, 1977; 28:325-338). The preparations achieved cholesterol lowering of approximately 10% (Vahouny G V, Kritchevsky D. In: Spiller G A, ed. Nutritional Pharmacology. New York, N.Y.: Alan R Liss Inc; 1981:31-72.). The mode of action appears to involve inhibition of cholesterol absorption, although the plant sterols themselves are absorbed very poorly (Tilvis R S, Miettinen T A. Am J Clin Nutr., 1986; 43:92-97). The mechanism of inhibition of cholesterol absorption is believed to be through crystallization and co-precipitation. Ingestion of 1 g of ß-sitosterol reduced absorption of cholesterol by 42% in a meal containing 500 mg of cholesterol (Mattson F H, Grundy S M, Crouse J R. Am J Clin Nutr., 1982; 35:697-700). The decrease in plasma cholesterol is probably due to an increase in LDL receptor activity. However, the decline in plasma cholesterol is relatively less than the decrease in absorption, presumably because of a compensatory increase in cholesterol synthesis.

In the 1980s it was demonstrated that sitostanol, a 5-α saturated sitosterol derivative, reduced the intestinal absorption of cholesterol and serum cholesterol more effectively than sitosterol and at doses below those of sitosterol. (Heinemann T, Leissa O, von Bergmann K., Atherosclerosis, 1986; 61:219-223). In a recent study (Miettinen T A, Puska P, Gylling H, Vanhanen H, Vartiainen E., New. Eng. J. Med., 1995; 333:1308-1312) sitostanol was interesterified with margarine, and the resultant product (1.9 to 2.6 g sitosterol per day) exhibited a hypocholesterolemic effect in a population with mild hypercholesteremia. The mean 1-year reduction in plasma cholesterol was 10.2%. The sitostanol was not absorbed and did not appear to interfere with absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.

Phytosterols have a long history of safe use in humans. The drug Cytellin® was marketed in the United States between 1954 and 1982. The dosage was 6-18 g/d, with higher dosages recommended for those patients not responding to the standard dose. Dosages as high as 45 g/d were reported to be well tolerated without serious side effects (Eli Lilly Package Insert M100 Suspension Cytellin® (Beta and Di-hydrobeta sitosterols). A drug product indicated for the reduction of hypercholesterolemia. Dated 1954.). In the modern era, phytosterols have been used as margarine additives since about 1995, with the introduction of stanol esters to the Finnish market, and in 2000 with the introduction of sterol esters under Novel Foods regulations in the EU. As a requirement for market approval, post-launch monitoring was conducted in the EU, with no unpredicted side effects reported (Lea L J, Hepburn P A. Safety evaluation of phytosterol esters. Part 9: Results of a European post-launch monitoring programme. Food Chem Toxicol., 2006; 44:1213-22.). The recommended plant sterol/stanol dosages for margarine and other foods are relatively low compared with that of Cytellin®. Consumption levels of 400 mg twice daily of phytosterols are now recommended. (Press release dated Feb. 24, 2003 at World Wide Web address: npicenter.com/anm/templates/newsATemp.aspx?articleid=4011&zoneid=3).

The principal (n-3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) in marine oils, eicosapentaneoic acid (EPA; 22:5(n-3)) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6(n-3)), have been shown to possess a wide range of physiological effects, from alterations in circulating plasma lipids to eicosanoid and cytokine production. There is considerable evidence to support reductions in triglycerides and improvement in circulating HDL-cholesterol in response to high dosage (1-5 gm/d) (n-3) LCPUFA oil supplementation.

In a recent clinical study, it was found that combined supplementation of (n-3) LCPUFA (1.4 g/d) as oils with phytosterols (2 g/d) has both synergistic and complementary lipid-lowering effects in hyperlipidemic men and women. The combination of phytosterols and (n-3) LCPUFA has been shown to reduce plasma total cholesterol by 13.3% and LDL-cholesterol by 12.5%. The HDL-cholesterol concentration was increased by (n-3) LCPUFA (7.1%) alone and in combination with phytosterols (8.6%), whereas phytosterol treatment alone had no effect. Plasma triglyceride concentration was lowered by (n-3) LCPUFA (22.3%) alone and in combination with phytosterols (25.9%), whereas phytosterol treatment alone had no effect. (Michelle A. Micallef et al., J. Nutr. 138: 1086-90, 2008)

Testosterone is implicated as one of the gender-related risk factors for coronary artery disease in men due to its HDL-C lowering effect. Weekly administration of 200 mg TE to male powerlifters decreased HDL-C and apolipoprotein A significantly but total cholesterol, LDL-C or triglyceride levels were not altered (Zmuda et al, Metabolism 42: 446-450, 1993).

In a further embodiment, testosterone and/or testosterone ester formulations of the present invention containing LCPUFA and phytosterols may be used to minimize the HDL-C lowering effect observed with currently available testosterone and/or testosterone ester products delivered via oral, parenteral, intramuscular, transdermal, nasal, sublingual, buccal and/or subcutaneous routes of administration.

In one embodiment, the invention provides a SEDDS, SMEDDS and/or SNEDDS formulation for the oral administration of a therapeutic agent which contains testosterone, testosterone undecanoate and/or another testosterone ester in combination with a phytosterol, where the phytosterol provides modulation of one or more of: solubility, stability, absorption, metabolism and pharmacokinetic profile of the testosterone or testosterone ester. The concentration of the dissolved phytosterol(s) ranges from about 1% to about 38% of the formulation, preferably about 5% to about 37.5, more preferably about 10% to about 25% solubilized in the formulation to exhibit the desired modulating effect.

In a further embodiment the invention provides a SEDDS, SMEDDS and/or SNEDDS formulation for the oral administration of a therapeutic agent which contains testosterone, testosterone undecanoate and/or another testosterone ester in combination with a phytosterol, phytosterol ester or phytosterol fatty acid ester, and further comprises a digestible lipid, a hydrophobic surfactant, a hydrophilic surfactant, and a solubilizer other than the phytosterol, phytosterol ester or phytosterol fatty acid ester.

In another embodiment, the formulation further comprises LCPUFA, LCPUFA oils, LCPUFA esters, and mixtures thereof in addition to the phytosterol and therapeutic agent.

In yet another embodiment, the formulation further comprises solubilizers (lipids, surfactants, etc.), and LCPUFA, LCPUFA oils, LCPUFA esters, and mixtures thereof, in addition to the phytosterol and therapeutic agent.

In one embodiment, the amount of phytosterol, phytosterol esters and/or phytosterol fatty acid esters in the SEDDS, SMEDDS or SNEDDS formulation is an amount effective to modulate the solubility, stability, metabolism and/or bioavailability to deliver the desired PK profile for a minimum of about 8 to about 12 hours. In another embodiment, the modulation will last longer than 12 hours, preferably about 24 hours. This modulative effect is important for hormone replacement therapies, e.g., in elderly men with partial androgen deficiency (PADAM patients), in that a deficient plasma level of testosterone can be appropriately corrected.

Another embodiment of a dosing regimen for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) involves administering orally a testosterone and/or testosterone ester formulation to hypogonadal men for a specified duration (1 week to 6 months) to achieve normal physiological levels of testosterone (300 ng/dL-1100 ng/dL in a male subject), followed by parenteral administration of a long acting intramuscular product of the present invention every (6-12 weeks) for maintenance therapy.

As described in detail above, sustained solubilization is a desirable characteristic in formulations for enhancing the bioavailability of water insoluble, lipophilic drugs. In one embodiment, the invention includes formulations including a therapeutic agent, a sterol and a non-sterol solubilizing agent for solubilization of the therapeutic agent. As such, absorption is not dependent on the dissolution of the therapeutic agent from the formulation in the patient's gastrointestinal tract, as all or a substantial fraction of the therapeutic agent in the formulation is already solubilized prior to administration to the patient, increasing the amount of therapeutic agent available for absorption. In a particular embodiment the therapeutic agent is selected from testosterone and testosterone undecanoate and the sterol is a phytosterol.

A “solubilizer” as referred to herein, may also be referred to as a “solubilizing agent.” The terms are used interchangeably.

Solubilizers included, in formulations of the invention are any pharmaceutically acceptable material that has a solubility for TU of at least about 1 mg per gram of the solubilizer, more preferably at least about 40 mg per gram of the solubilizer, and most preferably at least about 100 mg per gram of the solubilizer. The solubilizer is preferably present in an amount such that a significant fraction of the therapeutic agent is solubilized in the composition and is capable of providing an immediate and therapeutically effective amount of the therapeutic agent to a patient in a readily absorbable form upon administration. In one embodiment, the therapeutic agent is testosterone undecanoate, which provides a therapeutically effective amount of testosterone to a patient. Preferably, the solubilizers of the present invention can also increase the solubilization of TU or any other therapeutic agent when the composition contacts an aqueous medium, and particularly gastro-intestinal fluids upon administration of the dosage form containing the composition. Thus, the solubilizers as provided herein improve the dissolution profile of TU or any other therapeutic agent and thereby the bioavailability of TU or any other therapeutic agent. In various embodiments, the solubilizer is a non-sterol solubilizer.

In one embodiment, the solubilizers are selected from triglycerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides, free fatty acids, and fatty acid esters and derivatives thereof, individually or in combination. Examples of solubilizers include, but are not limited to, propylene glycol dicaprylate/caprate, caprilic/capric triglyceride, caprylic/capric/linoleic triglyceride, e.g. synthetic medium chain triglycerides having C₈₋₁₂ fatty acid chains or other derivatized (synthetic) triglycerides of the type known and commercially available under Miglyol 810, 812, 818, 829 and 840, linoleic acid, linoleic acid ethyl ester, fish oils as free fatty acids, their esterification and their transesterification products, e.g., of the type known and commercially available under EPAX 6000 FA, EPAX 4510 TG, individually or in combination. Additional examples include vegetable oils and C₁₂₋₁₈ fatty acid mono-, di- and triglycerides prepared by individual admixing or as transesterification products of vegetable oils (such as soybean oil, almond oil, sunflower oil, olive oil or corn oil) with glycerol. Particularly preferred lower alcohol fatty acid esters include ethyl oleate, ethyl linoleate, ethyl caprylate, ethyl caprate, isopropyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate and mixtures thereof.

In the art of pharmaceutical formulation, vitamin E substances have been known for their reducing potential and typically used as antioxidants in pharmaceutical compositions. The inventor has found, however, that vitamin E substances have unexpected solubilization power toward testosterone undecanoate and other hydrophobic therapeutic agents. Therefore, in one embodiment, the formulation includes a vitamin E solubilizer.

The inventor also has surprisingly found that nitrogen-containing solvents have unexpected solubilization power toward testosterone undecanoate and other hydrophobic therapeutic agents relative to other commonly used non-nitrogen containing solvents such as glycerol, propylene glycol, and polyethylene glycols. The nitrogen-containing solvent solubilizer may be selected from, but is not limited to: dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, N-alkylpyrrolidone, N-hydroxyalkylpyrrolidone, N-alkylpiperidone, N-alkylcaprolactam and mixtures thereof wherein alkyl is a C₁₋₁₂ branched or straight chain alkyl. Particularly preferred nitrogen-containing solvents include N-methyl 2-pyrrolidone, N-ethyl 2-pyrrolidone or a mixture thereof. Alternatively, the nitrogen-containing solvent may be in the form of a polymer such as polyvinylpyrrolidone. In another embodiment, the formulation includes a solubilizer selected from nitrogen-containing solvents,

In additional research, the inventor has further surprisingly found that replacing one or more of the hydroxyl groups of glycerol and propylene glycol with, for example, a C₂-C₂₄ alkyl ester, results in a propylene glycol or glycerol fatty acid ester with an unexpectedly high solubilizing power for testosterone undecanoate. In another embodiment, the formulation includes a solubilizer selected from dehydroxylated, esterified non-nitrogen containing solvents, where the hydroxyl group has been replaced with an ester.

Similarly, additional research has yielded other unexpectedly effective solubilizers for testosterone undecanoate, including esters of monohydric alcohols such as ethanol and ethylene glycols such as polyethylene glycols, with an organic acid such as acetic acid, fatty acids and citric acids.

Another group of solubilizers for use in formulations of the invention includes phospholipids. Solubilizing phospholipids include, but are not limited to, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol, lecithins, lysolecithins, lysophosphatidylcholine, polyethylene glycolated phospholipids/lysophospholipids, lecithins/lysolecithins and mixtures thereof.

In still another embodiment, a formulation of the invention contains a solubilizer that is a hydrophobic or hydrophilic surfactant that would enhance the galenic properties of the therapeutic agent within the formulation. Examples of suitable surfactants include, but are not limited to: polyoxyethylene-sorbitan-fatty acid esters; e.g., mono- and tri-lauryl, palmityl, stearyl and oleyl esters; e.g., products of the type known as polysorbates and commercially available under the trade name Tween®; polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters, e.g., polyoxyethylene stearic acid esters of the type known and commercially available under the trade name Myrj®; polyoxyethylene castor oil derivatives, e.g., products of the type known and commercially available as Cremophors®. Particularly suitable are polyoxyl 35 castor oil (Cremophor®EL) and polyoxyl 40 hydrogenated castor oil (Cremophor®RH40); α-tocopherol, α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (vitamin E TPGS), α-tocopherol palmitate and α-tocopherol acetate; PEG glyceryl fatty acid esters such as PEG-8 glyceryl caprylate/caprate (commercially known as Labrasol®), PEG-4 glyceryl caprylate/caprate (Labrafac® Hydro WL 1219), PEG-32 glyceryl laurate (Gelucire® 44/14), PEG-6 glyceryl mono oleate (Labrafil® M 1944 CS), PEG-6 glyceryl linoleate (Labrafil® M 2125 CS); propylene glycol mono- and di-fatty acid esters, such as propylene glycol laurate, propylene glycol caprylate/caprate; also diethyleneglycol-monoethylether (DGME), commercially known as Transcutol® (Gattefosse, Westwood, N.J.); sorbitan fatty acid esters, such as the type known and commercially available under the name Span® (e.g., Span 85); polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene co-polymers, e.g., products of the type known and commercially available as Pluronic® or Poloxamer®; glycerol triacetate; and monoglycerides and acetylated monoglycerides, e.g., glycerol monodicocoate (Imwitor 928), glycerol monocaprylate (Imwitor® 308), and mono- and di-acetylated monoglycerides.

As described in detail above, one widely utilized approach to achieve sustained solubilization is to utilize formulations within a lipid vehicle containing surfactants that constitute a SEDDS or SMEDDS, to effect spontaneous emulsification upon contact of the lipid with fluids in the GI tract.

Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balance (HLB) is a term used to describe an arbitrary scale from 0 to 40 depicting the Hydrophilic/Lipophilic Balance of a surfactant. Products with low HLB are more oil soluble. High HLB represents good water solubility. HLB is a numerically calculated number based on the surfactants' molecular structure. It is not a measured parameter.

An optimal surfactant hydrophilic lipophilic balance (HLB) for emulsification was found to be around 10 (Shah, N. H. et. al., Int. J. of Pharmaceutics, 106 (1994) 15-23), which can be achieved using a combination of polar and non-polar surfactants. Polar surfactants with high HLB's have been utilized to enable microemulsion formation, while inclusion of a non-polar surfactant (HLB<8) such as medium chain mono/diglycerides can also improve miscibility with oils. These pre-concentrates can be administered in softgels, hardgels, or adsorbed on to inert inorganic or organic polymers to generate free flowing powders. The powder can be compressed into tablets, filled into hard gelatin capsules or formulated into other oral dosage forms known to the art. Alternatively, the pre-concentrates can be formulated for parenteral, intramuscular, transdermal, nasal, sublingual, buccal and subcutaneous administration.

As described herein, formulations containing solubilizers enhance bioavailability of the therapeutic agent by their solubilization action. Under fasted conditions, a solubilizing species present in the intestinal contents comprise low concentrations of bile salt, phospholipids and cholesterol derived from fasted biliary output. In the absence of exogenous lipids the solubilization capacity of the fasted small intestine remains low and is correlated with the total bile salt concentrations rather than reflecting the structure of the individual colloidal species (Pendersen et al., Pharm Res. 17, 891-894, 2000; Kaukonen et. al., Pharm Res. 21, 245-253, 2004). Following the addition of lipids that are representative of the digestion products of exogenously derived (from lipid-based formulation or food) lipids, the drug solubilization capacity increases significantly and is dependent on the nature of the digestion products (in terms of the fatty-acid chain length) and the characteristics of the colloidal structures they form. For example, the digestion products of medium-chain triglycerides (C_(8-C12) fatty acids and monoglycerides) are amphiphilic and readily combine with endogenous bile salt, phosphlipid and cholesterol to provide highly dispersed, optically clear dispersions (even at high (˜150 mM) lipid loads). The drug solubilization capacity of these composite colloidal species can be up to 50-fold higher than that of endogenous bile salt, phospholipids and cholesterol species (Kosenna et al., J. Pharm Sci. 93, 332-348, 2004).

However, the solubilization capacity is dependent on lipid concentration, and the solubility of a range of poorly water-soluble drugs has been shown to be enhanced by less than threefold at lower (<25 mM) exogenous lipid levels (Kosenna et al., J. Pharm Sci. 93, 332-348, 2004; Kosenna et al., J. Pharm. Sci. 94, 481-492, 2005). By contrast, the phase behavior and solubilization characteristics of the species formed on the intercalations of the digestion products of long-chain triglycerides (which comprise primarily Cis lipids, e.g. palm oil, corn oil, canola oil, soybean oil, olive oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, hydrogenated vegetable oils, hydrogenated soybean oil, etc.) vary significantly when compared to medium-chain triglycerides (Kosenna et al., J. Pharm. Sci. 94, 481-492, 2005). C₁₈ fatty acids and monoglycerides are considerably less polar than their C₈ or C₁₂ equivalents and turbid systems that contain larger (˜100 nm) vesicular species are evident even at low (>2.5 mM) lipid concentrations. Importantly, these vesicular species provide for significantly enhanced drug solubilization capacities. For example, in the presence of 8.75 mM long-chain fatty acids and 4.4 mM long-chain monoglycerides (approximately the same mass per mass quantities of lipid that led to a less than a threefold improvement in solubilization capacity for medium-chain lipids) solubilization enhancements of up to 20-fold are apparent (Kosenna et al., J. Pharm Sci. 93, 332-348, 2004; Kosenna et al., J. Pharm. Sci. 94, 481-492, 2005). These solubilization differences, which are based on lipid content, are particularly significant in the context of the likely luminal concentration of lipid obtained after oral administration of a lipid-based formulation. For example, assuming a lipid dose of 750 mg long-chain triglyceride and complete digestion, the maximal luminal concentrations of fatty acid and monoglyceride (solubilized in micelles) post-digestion are approximately 8.5 mM and 4.2 mM, respectively.

In contrast to micronized testosterone compositions, the present formulations do not require a separate in vivo step for the dissolution of crystalline testosterone undecanoate since a significant fraction of TU is already solubilized in the compositions by the included solubilizer.

Accordingly, the invention in various embodiments provides a formulation for administration of a therapeutic agent, including 1) one or more lipophilic, poorly water soluble therapeutic agents, 2) a sterol or ester thereof; and 3) a solubilizing agent effective for solubilization of the therapeutic agent. In a particular embodiment, the therapeutic agent is an androgen, and in a more particular embodiment, the androgen is selected from testosterone and testosterone esters, such as testosterone undecanoate. In a preferred embodiment the sterol or ester thereof is a phytosterol. In another embodiment the solubilizing agent is a non-sterol solubilizing agent.

In another embodiment the invention provides a method of enhancing solubility of one or more poorly water soluble therapeutic agents, including combining 1) a phytosterol or phytosterol ester, 2) a non-sterol solubilizing agent effective for solubilization of the therapeutic agent, and 3) at least one lipophilic, poorly water soluble therapeutic agent, to form a composition, wherein the composition is effective to enhance solubility of the at least one therapeutic agent, as compared to the solubility of the same therapeutic agent in the absence of 1) a phytosterol or phytosterol ester and 2) a non-sterol solubilizing agent effective for solubilization.

In other embodiments of the present invention, methods and compositions for enhancing the absorption and metabolic stability of testosterone or testosterone undecanoate by incorporating components that may biochemically modulate (1) T or TU absorption, (2) T or TU metabolism, and/or (3) metabolism of TU to DHTU. For example, TU is absorbed almost exclusively via the intestinal lymphatics (Coert et al., Acta Endocrinol (Copenh), 789-800, 1975; Nieschlag et al., Acta Endocrinol (Copenh), 366-374,1975; Horst et al., Klin Wochenschr, 875-879, 1976; Shackleford J. Pharmacol. and Exp. Ther., 925-933, 2003) thereby bypassing hepatic metabolism. Formulations containing oleic acid, glycerol monooleate, Polyoxyl 40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil (e.g., Cremophore RH 40), Polysorbate 80 (e.g., Tween 80), and phytosterols (Formulation #54) enhance lymphatic absorption relative to the Castor oil and Lauroyl glycol (Andriol Testocap®) formulation by 294%. Cremophore RH 40, Tween 80, and Solutol HS 15 are known PgP efflux and P450 inhibitors. Tween 80 is also a known chylomicron secretion inducer. By using appropriate ratios of Cremophore RH 40, and Tween 80, metabolic stability and lymphatic absorption of TU can be enhanced to achieve the desired PK profile. In one embodiment the formulation contains Polyoxyl 40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil (e.g., Cremophore RH 40) and Polysorbate 80 (e.g., Tween 80) in a ratio of about 1:10 to about 10:1, more preferably about 1:2 to about 2:1.

Other components that can enhance TU absorption and metabolic stability include natural (e.g., phytosterols, borage oil, gamma-linoleic acid) and synthetic inhibitors (e.g., MK386) of 5-alpha-reductase absorbed via intestinal lymphatics. 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors such as Finasteride and Dutasteride have minimal effect on modulation of T or DHT exposure from oral T or T esters (Table 24) as they are absorbed via the portal vein.

The invention further provides a formulation for oral administration of a therapeutic agent, including 1) one or more lipophilic, poorly water soluble therapeutic agents, 2) a sterol or ester thereof; 3) a solubilizing agent effective for solubilization of the therapeutic agent; and 4) an enhancing agent. In a particular embodiment, the therapeutic agent is an androgen, and in a more particular embodiment, the androgen is selected from testosterone and testosterone esters, such as testosterone undecanoate. In a preferred embodiment the sterol or ester thereof is a phytosterol. In another embodiment the solubilizing agent is a non-sterol solubilizing agent. In a further embodiment the formulation comprises an enhancing agent. In a particular embodiment the enhancing agent is selected from the group consisting of: an inhibitor of 5-α-reductase enzymes, a P450 inhibitor, a PgP inhibitor and a chylomicron secretion inducer. In a further embodiment the 5-α-reductase inhibitor is MK-386, phytosterols, borage oil, or gamma-linoleic acid; the P450 and/or PgP inhibitors are selected from peppermint oil, Cremophore RH 40, Tween-80, and Solutol HS 15; and the chylomicron secretion inducer is Tween 80.

In another embodiment the invention provides a method of enhancing biological absorption and/or metabolic stability of one or more poorly water soluble therapeutic agents, including administering: 1) a sterol or ester thereof; 2) a non-sterol solubilizing agent effective for solubilization of the therapeutic agent; 3) an enhancing agent effective to improve the biological absorption and/or metabolic stability of at least one therapeutic agent; and 4) at least one lipophilic, poorly water soluble therapeutic agent, to form a composition, wherein the composition is effective to enhance biological absorption and/or metabolic stability of at least one therapeutic agent, as compared to correspondingly administered therapeutic in the absence of 1) a sterol or ester thereof; 2) a non-sterol solubilizing agent; and 3) an enhancing agent.

In a further embodiment the invention provides a formulation consisting essentially of a therapeutic agent and an enhancing agent effective to improve the biological absorption and/or metabolic stability of the therapeutic agent. In a particular embodiment the enhancing agent is selected from Cremophore RH40, Tween-80, phytosterols and phytosterol esters.

The formulations of the invention make use of the advantages of oral administration of androgens, especially of testosterone and the esters thereof, by exploiting the different pharmacokinetics of the various testosterone esters in combination with phytosterols and/or phytosterol esters, so as to be able, by careful selection of appropriate dosages and esters, to attain a desired drug profile. Particularly, the invention is advantageous for administration of androgens having high first-pass effect and low bioavailability. Formulations of the invention may include further additives to achieve a cumulative or additional therapeutic effect.

Examples of such further additives may include, but are not limited to lipids, bile salts, 5-α-reductase inhibitors and any other additives effective in increasing the bioavailability of the therapeutic agent, maximizing absorption of the therapeutic agent, treating additional conditions and/or reducing side effects of drug administration, e.g. inflammation. Classes of additives that may be present in the compositions, include, but are not limited to, absorbents, acids, adjuvants, anticaking agent, glidants, antitacking agents, antifoamers, anticoagulants, antimicrobials, antioxidants, antiphlogistics, astringents, antiseptics, bases, binders, chelating agents, sequestrants, coagulants, coating agents, colorants, dyes, pigments, compatiblizers, complexing agents, softeners, crystal growth regulators, denaturants, dessicants, drying agents, dehydrating agents, diluents, dispersants, emollients, emulsifiers, encapsulants, enzymes, fillers, extenders, flavor masking agents, flavorants, fragrances, gelling agents, hardeners, stiffening agents, humectants, lubricants, moisturizers, bufferants, pH control agents, plasticizers, soothing agents, demulcents, retarding agents, spreading agents, stabilizers, suspending agents, sweeteners, disintegrants, thickening agents, consistency regulators, surfactants, opacifiers, polymers, preservatives, antigellants, rheology control agents, UV absorbers, tonicifiers and viscomodulators. The formulation may include one or more additives.

Examples of lipids that may be included as additives to a basic formulation of the invention include, but are not limited to essential fatty acids. Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are necessary fats that humans cannot synthesize, and must be obtained through diet. EFAs are long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids derived from linolenic, linoleic, and oleic acids. There are two families of EFAs: omega-3 and omega-6. Omega-9 is necessary yet “non-essential” because the body can manufacture a modest amount on its own, provided essential EFAs are present. The number following the “omega-” prefix represents the position of the first double bond, counting from the terminal methyl group on the molecule. Omega-3 fatty acids are derived from linolenic acid, omega-6 from linoleic acid, and omega-9 from oleic acid.

Alpha linolenic acid (ALA) is the principal omega-3 fatty acid, which a healthy human will convert into cicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and later into docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPA and the gamma linolenic acid (GLA) synthesized from linoleic (omega-6) acid are later converted into hormone-like compounds known as eicosanoids, which aid in many bodily functions including vital organ function and intracellular activity. Linoleic acid is the primary omega-6 fatty acid. A healthy human with good nutrition will convert linoleic acid into GLA.

Therefore, in another embodiment, the formulation further includes one or more triglycerides containing fatty acids, including, but not limited to, omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9.

It is known that oral TU treatment elevates dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which may be associated with an increased risk of acne, male pattern baldness and prostate hyperplasia. Co-administration of a 5-α-reductase inhibitor, such as Finasteride or Dutasteride has been shown to prevent reduction of testosterone to DHT. Commercial preparations of Finasteride and Dutasteride are known, e.g. Proscar®, Propecia®, and Avodart®.

The present inventor observed that when 5-α-reductase inhibitors Finasteride and Dutasteride are first dosed for 3 days in dogs to completely inhibit the 5-α-reductase enzyme known to reduce testosterone to DHT, followed by co-dosing with TU and Finasteride or Dutasteride, there was no significant change in the testosterone or DHT levels. This is contrary to published reports and patents issued claiming that Finasteride and Dutasteride inhibit conversion of testosterone or testosterone esters to DHT (Amory & Bremner, J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2610-2617, 2005; Amory et al., J Androl, 72-78, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,138,389; U.S. Patent Application No. 2008/0317844). TU is absorbed almost exclusively via the intestinal lymphatics (Coert et al., Acta Endocrinol (Copenh), 789-800, 1975; Nieschlag et al., Acta Endocrinol (Copenh), 366-374,1975; Horst et al., Klin Wochenschr, 875-879, 1976; Shackleford J. Pharmacol. and Exp. Ther., 925-933, 2003), thereby bypassing hepatic metabolism. For reasons of the dependence on lymphatic absorption, oral TU must be ingested with a meal containing some fat to allow for its optimal absorption and the attainment of serum testosterone concentrations within the normal range of adult men (Houwing et al., Pharmacotherapy, 1257-1265, 2003; Schnabel et al., Clin Endocrinol, 579-585, 2007). Once TU is absorbed into the intestinal lymphatics, a portion of TU is acted upon by 5-α-reductase to form dihydrotestosterone undecanoate (DHTU) (Horst et al., Klin Wochenschr, 875-879, 1976). After the TU and DHTU are released into circulation, non-specific plasma esterases enzymatically cleave the undecanoate ester resulting in the liberation of testosterone and DHT in the serum (FIGS. 7 and 8 ). The dog study demonstrates that the pharmacokinetics of orally dosed TU is not improved by the concomitant administration of the 5-α-reductase inhibitor Finasteride or Dutasteride. This finding is in sharp contrast to published work demonstrating that the concomitant administration of either Finasteride or Dutasteride significantly increased serum testosterone concentrations and significantly suppressed serum DHT concentrations when used in combination with oral testosterone in oil (Amory & Bremner, J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2610-2617, 2005; Amory et al., J Androl, 72-78, 2006).

It therefore appears that oral TU is absorbed via intestinal lymphatics (Coert et al., Acta Endocrinol (Copenh), 789-800, 1975; Nieschlag et al., Acta Endocrinol (Copenh), 366-374, 1975), whereas the oral formulations of non-esterified testosterone are absorbed via the portal circulation (Amory & Bremner, J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2610-2617, 2005). Finasteride and Dutesteride are also absorbed via the portal circulation (Carlin et al., Drug Metabol Dispos, 148-155, 1992; Branson et al., J. pharmacol & Exp Ther, 1496-1502, 1997), and their absorption is not thought to be affected by food (Steiner et al., Clin Pharmacokinet, 16-27, 1996). Therefore, Finasteride and Dutasteride may not be able to prevent the 5-α-reduction of the oral TU because of the different routes of absorption and appearance in the systemic circulation. Consistent with this hypothesis is the work of Horst et al., Klin Wochenschr, 875-879 (1976), that demonstrated the presence of significant amounts of DHTU in the thoracic ducts of men dosed orally with TU while their thoracic ducts were cannulated during neck surgery. In connection with this hypothesism the inventor theorized that 5-α-reductase inhibitors with proven absorption via the intestinal lymphatics, such as MK-386 (Gloria et al., Int. J. of Pharmaceutics, 37-44, 1998), may be successful in suppressing the elevations in serum DHT observed with dosing of oral TU.

As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the amount or percentage of the therapeutic agent present in the formulation and dosage forms will vary. Thus, for example, the amount of therapeutic agent is based, in part, upon the actual need of the patient and can be determined by the attending clinician. In all cases, however, the amount of the therapeutic agent present in the composition and dosage forms is an amount such that the therapeutic agent is significantly solubilized in the appropriately selected solubilizer or solubilizers so that the aforementioned advantages of the present invention are achieved. In a particular embodiment the amount or percentage of all elements of a formulation of the invention are optimized to achieve a desired level of total serum testosterone in a subject in the range of from about 300 to about 1100 ng/dL in a male subject, and about 30 to about 110 ng/dL in a female subject, over a time period of about 8 hours to about 24 hours.

The terms “effective amount” or “therapeutically effective amount” as used herein refer to a nontoxic but sufficient amount of the therapeutic agent to provide the desired therapeutic effect within a subject. The exact amount that is “effective” will vary from subject to subject, depending on the age, weight and general condition of the subject, the severity of the condition being treated, the judgment of the clinician, and the like. However, an appropriate “effective amount” in any individual case can be determined by one of ordinary skill in the art using only routine experimentation, based on the disclosure herein.

Preferably, the formulations are prepared so as to contain a sufficient amount, i.e., dose of TU within a dosage unit, e.g., a capsule. It is preferred that the amount of testosterone will be present in the formulation so as to provide each dosage form with a unit dosage of from about 1 to about 1000 mg, and preferably about 40 to about 400 mg of testosterone undecanoate for oral administration, and preferably from 200 to 1000 mg for parenteral. Typically the testosterone and/or testosterone ester is from about 0.1% to about 80% of the formulation by weight. Preferably, the testosterone and/or testosterone ester is from about 0.1% to about 50% of the formulation by weight. More preferably, the testosterone and/or testosterone ester is from about 0.1% to about 40% of the formulation by weight. In various other embodiments, the testosterone and/or testosterone ester may be in a range having a lower value of any of 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.5 and 1%, and having an upper value of any of 70.5, 71.0, 71.25, 71.5, 71.75, 72.0, 73.0, 74.0, 75.0, 77.5, 79.0, 79.5, 79.75, 79.9, 79.95 and 80.0%.

In one embodiment, it is particularly preferred that the entire amount of TU is solubilized in the composition. However, it is sometimes necessary to add additional TU in non-solubilized form when the TU solubility capacity of a given composition is exceeded. Therefore, it is also an important feature of the present invention that the TU present in the composition is significantly solubilized. Typically, at least about 20% of the TU is solubilized in the composition and preferably at least about 50% of the TU is solubilized in the composition of the dosage form. The dosage form contains TU solubilized in the composition in an amount of at least about 1 mg, preferably in an amount of at least about 40 mg, and more preferably in an amount of at least about 100 mg.

Although the formulation may be administered to a subject in any suitable dosage form, the dosage form is preferably a capsule or other oral dose form (e.g., a tablet, lozenge, etc.) containing the formulation having a therapeutically effective amount of testosterone and/or testosterone undecanoate contained therein. In an additional embodiment, the dosage form is preferably a formulation suitable for parenteral administration, e.g. an intra-muscular injection.

The amount of solubilizer that can be included in a formulation of the present invention is not particularly limited. When the formulation is administered to a subject, however, the amount of any given solubilizer is limited to a bio-acceptable amount. Bio-acceptable amounts of solubilizers and other components are readily determined by one of skill in the art by using routine experimentation or searching the literature. In some circumstances, it may be advantageous to include amounts of solubilizers far in excess of bio-acceptable amounts, for example, to maximize the concentration of the TU, with excess solubilizer removed prior to providing the composition to a patient. Excess solubilizer may be removed using conventional techniques such as distillation, spray drying, lyophilization or evaporation. Generally, the amount of solubilizer in the composition will be from about 10% to about 90%, preferably between about 12.5% to about 85% by weight. In various other embodiments, the solubilizer may be in a range having a lower value of any of 0.01, 9.05, 9.1, 9.15, 9.2, 9.5 and 10%, and having an upper value of any of 80.5, 81.0, 81.25, 81.5, 81.75, 82.0, 83.0, 84.0, 85.0, 87.5, 89.0, 89.5, 89.75, 89.9, 89.95 and 90.0%. In another embodiment more than one solubilizer is included in the composition.

In one embodiment, the formulation also contains 1% to 99% by weight of a sterol and/or sterol ester. In a preferred embodiment the formulation contains about 1% to about 90% of phytosterol and/or phytosterol esters, solubilized and/or suspended. Preferably, the formulation contains from about 1% to about 70% of phytosterols and/or phytosterol esters; more preferably, the formulation contains from about 1% to about 45% of phytosterols and/or phytosterol esters. In a more preferred embodiment, the formulation contains about 2% to about 20% solubilized phytosterols or phytosterol esters. In a further embodiment, additional phytosterols or phytosterol esters may be co-dosed with a formulation of the invention. In various other embodiments, the total phytosterol and/or phytosterol esters, solubilized and/or suspended may be in a range having a lower value of any of 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.5 and 1%, and having an upper value of any of 80.5, 81.0, 81.25, 81.5, 81.75, 82.0, 83.0, 84.0, 85.0, 87.5, 89.0, 89.5, 89.75, 89.9, 89.95 and 90.0%.

In a further embodiment of the invention, phytosterols or phytosterol esters may be added with the therapeutic agent in solubilized form, in suspended form, as an additive, as a co-dose accompanying dosing of a formulation of the invention, or any combination thereof.

The amount of additional components in a formulation of the invention can be determined by one of ordinary skill in the art, according to the desired property or properties to be imparted to the composition. For example, the amount of a suspending agent may be determined by adding gradual amounts of the agent until the desired homogeneity of un-dissolved drug particles in the composition is achieved. For a colorant, the amount of the colorant may determined by adding small amounts of the colorant until the desired color of the composition is achieved. For a surfactant, the amount of a surfactant may determined by adding gradual amounts of the surfactant until the desired wetting effect or dispersibility of the composition is achieved. The amount of surfactant, when present, in the composition will generally be up to about 80 wt. %, preferably between about 1 wt. % to about 50 wt. %, more preferably between 1 wt. % to about 35 wt. %.

In a particular embodiment, the invention provides a formulation containing a therapeutically effective amount of a hydrophobic drug, a phytosterol and/or phytosterol ester, and a LCPUFA, LCPUFA oils, LCPUFA esters or mixtures thereof. The hydrophobic drug is present in an amount of from about 0.1 to 70% w/w of the composition. Furthermore, the hydrophobic drug is at least about 20% solubilized in the composition. The LCPUFA substance in the composition is present in an amount of from about 1 to 99% w/w of said composition. The phytosterols and/or phytosterol esters are suspended in the formulation in an amount of from 1% to 40%.

In a further embodiment, a formulation of the invention may be provided as a pharmaceutical composition. As such, the formulation is provided in a dosage form, for administration to a subject in need of such formulation.

Administration of a formulation of the invention may be as a single composition, or as multiple compositions. The formulations and compositions thereof maybe administered at the same time or may be administered at different times. Administration may be performed by any method which results in the desired serum concentration of therapeutic agent.

In a preferred embodiment, the pharmaceutical composition is present in a single dosage form. The dosage form(s) are not limited with respect to size, shape or general configuration, and may comprise, for example, a capsule, a tablet or a caplet, or a plurality of granules, beads, powders or pellets that may or may not be encapsulated. A preferred dosage form is a capsule containing a composition as described herein (FIG. 1 ). The capsule material may be either hard or soft and is generally made of a suitable compound such as gelatin, starch or a cellulosic material. As is known in the art, use of soft gelatin capsules places a number of limitations on the compositions that can be encapsulated. See, for example, Ebert (1978), “Soft Elastic Gelatin Capsules: A Unique Dosage Form,” Pharmaceutical Technology 1(5). Two-piece hard gelatin capsules are preferably scaled, such as with gelatin bands or the like. See, for example, Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy, Twenty first Edition. (2006) cited supra, which describes materials and methods for preparing encapsulated pharmaceuticals. In this embodiment, the encapsulated composition may be liquid or semi-solid (e.g., a gel).

The formulation may optionally include a carrier, in addition to the therapeutic agent, sterol and solubilizer. In one embodiment, the carrier contains the solubilizer. In one embodiment, the carrier includes one or more solubilizers and, optionally further includes one or more pharmaceutically acceptable additives in addition to the solubilizer.

“Carrier” or “vehicle” as used herein refers to carrier materials suitable for drug administration. Carriers and vehicles useful herein include any such materials known in the art, e.g., any liquid, gel, solvent, liquid diluent, solubilizer, surfactant, or the like, which is nontoxic and which does not interact with other components of the composition in a deleterious manner.

In one embodiment of the invention, the formulation is provided in a lipid suspension as a pharmaceutical composition.

The lipids may be of animal, vegetable or mineral origin, which are substantially water-insoluble, inert, non-toxic hydrocarbon fats and oils and derivatives thereof, and may comprise any of the commonly commercially available fats or oils approved by the Food & Drug Administration. The lipid may be a liquid or a solid at room temperature. Preferably, the lipid has a melting point in the range of about 90 to 160° F. (32 to 71° C.). The lipid may comprise a vegetable oil base commonly known as hard butter. Hard butters are hydrogenated, press fractionated, or other processed oils that are processed or recombined to have a solid fat index (percent solid fat vs. temperature) similar to that of cocoa butter. However, other lipids may be used that are relatively hard or solid at room temperature, but melt rapidly in the mouth at a temperature of about 92° to 98° F. (29 to 32° C.). The lipid is employed in the amounts within the range of from about 20 to about 50%. Examples of suitable lipids include tallow, hydrogenated tallow, hydrogenated vegetable oil, almond oil, coconut oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, fish oil, light liquid petrolatum, heavy liquid petrolatum, olein, olive oil, palm oil, peanut oil, persic oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, castor oil or safflower oil.

Additionally, stearines can be used as a lipid in the present invention. The addition of stearines to the product provides the favorable property of mold-release.

Furthermore a pharmaceutical composition of the invention may comprise a filler. Fillers of the present invention are pharmacologically inert and optionally nutritionally beneficial to humans and animals. Such fillers include cellulose such as microcrystalline cellulose, grain starches such as cornstarch, tapioca, dextrin, sugars and sugar alcohols such as sucrose, sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol and the like. Preferred fillers include non-fat milk powder, whey, grain brans such as oat bran, and fruit and vegetable pulps. Preferred fillers are finely divided and have a preferred average particle size in the range of about 0.10 to about 500 microns. The fillers are present in the drug delivery device in a concentration of about 50 to 80%. Optionally, the pharmaceutical particles can also serve as filler in the delivery system. Optionally, the filler may include sterols, particularly phytosterols. (See Example 9 for use of microcrystalline cellulose for making a solid dosage form of the present invention).

In one embodiment of the invention the therapeutic agent is microencapsulated. Such microencapsulation includes sustained release encapsulation. Any known method of encapsulation is suitable in the present invention. Such methods include, but are not limited to air coating, chemical erosion, coacervation, fluid bed coating, macroencapsulation, microencapsulation, osmosis, pan spray coating, physical erosion, polymer protein conjugate systems, and polymeric microspheres. A preferred method involves slowly blending the drug with a filming agent solution to form granulated particles. The granulated particles are allowed to dry on a tray and are sieved to the desired size, typically in the range of from about 200 to about 500 microns. The coating materials include, but are not limited to, acrylic polymers and co-polymers, alginates, calcium stearate, cellulose, including methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, and hydroxypropyl cellulose, gelatins, glyceryl behenate, glycholic acid and its various forms, ion exchange resins, lactic acid and its various forms, lipids, methacrylic monomers, methacrylic polymers and co-polymers, polyethylene glycol polymers, shellac (pharmaceutical glaze), stearic acid, glycerol esters of fatty acids and waxes. It is contemplated in the present invention that the microencapsulated testosterone and/or testosterone ester may be used alone, or in the lipid suspension. Further, the microencapsulated testosterone and/or testosterone ester may be used in any other system, such as tablets, boluses, enclosed in a gelatin capsule, or in a liquid or syrup system.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the therapeutic agent is not microencapsulated, but suspended in the lipid as dry particles. Where the therapeutic agent is a testosterone and/or testosterone ester, typically the testosterone and/or testosterone ester is present in the delivery device in a concentration of 50% or less. However, the testosterone can comprise all of the dried particles, to provide the necessary dose.

Optionally, the dry particles include flavorings that make the device taste and smell appealing to humans or animals. The flavorings can be natural or synthetic, and can include fruit flavorings, citrus, meat, chocolate, vanilla, fish, butter, milk, cream, egg or cheese. The flavorings are typically present in the device in the range of about 0.05 to about 1.0%.

The delivery device may also include other pharmaceutically acceptable agents, such as sweetening agents, including hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, synthetic sweeteners such as sorbitol, xylitol, saccharin salts, L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester, as well as coloring agents, other binding agents, lubricants, such as calcium stearate, stearic acid, magnesium stearate, antioxidants such as butylated hydroxy toluene, antiflatulants such as simethicone and the like.

Optionally, rupturing agents are used to rapidly deliver the testosterone and/or testosterone ester into the recipient's system. A typical rupturing agent is a starch that swells in the presence of water. Various modified starches, such as carboxymethyl starch, currently marketed under the trade name Explotab or Primojel are used as rupturing agents. A preferred rupturing agent is sodium starch glycolate. When ingested, the capsule or pellet swells in the presence of gastric juices and ruptures.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the rupturing agent is present with the therapeutic agent inside the microcapsule. As water penetrates the microcapsule, it swells the starch and ruptures the capsule, rapidly delivering the testosterone undecanoate to the system. Additional rupturing agents are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,439, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

In another embodiment, the rupturing agent is present in the lipid suspension, which ruptures the pellet, but leaves the microcapsules intact. This allows delayed delivery of the drug farther along in the digestive system, or in the intestines. The present invention is particularly effective in this embodiment, in that the ingested pellet may be chewable, where the pellet cleaves in the lipid suspension when chewed, but leaves the microcapsules intact. Tablets or gel capsules, when chewed, typically result in damage to or rupturing of the microcapsules defeating the effectiveness of the microcapsules.

In yet another embodiment, multiple drugs have multiple encapsulations, each containing a rupturing agent. The filming agents used for encapsulation are selected to disintegrate at selected pH conditions, which rupture and release each drug at desired locations in the digestive system.

The formulations of the present invention are prepared by conventional methods well known to those skilled in the art. The formulation can be prepared by mixing the active agent, the solubilizer, and optional additive according to methods well known in the art. Excess solvent or solubilizer, added to facilitate solubilization of the active agent and/or mixing of the formulation components, can be removed before administration of the pharmaceutical dosage form. The compositions can be further processed according to conventional processes known to those skilled in the art, such as lyophilization, encapsulation, compression, melting, extrusion, balling, drying, chilling, molding, spraying, spray congealing, coating, comminution, mixing, homogenization, sonication, cryopelletization, spheronization and granulation to produce the desired dosage form.

For dosage forms substantially free of water, i.e., when the composition is provided in a pre-concentrated form for administration or for later dispersion in an aqueous system, the composition is prepared by simple mixing of the components to form a pre-concentrate. The compositions comprising solubilized TU can be further formulated into desirable dosage forms utilizing skills well known in the art. For example, compositions in liquid or semi-solid form can be filled into soft gelatin capsules using appropriate filling machines. Alternatively, the composition can also be sprayed, granulated or coated onto a substrate to become a powder, granule or bead that can be further encapsulated or tableted or molded if the compositions solidify at room temperature with or without the addition of appropriate solidifying or binding agents. This approach allows for the creation of a “fused mixture,” a “solid solution” or a “eutectic mixture.”

For example, testosterone undecanoate and phytosterols form a eutectic mixture when the ratio of TU:phytosterols is 80:20. The melting point of the eutectic is 54° C. while the melting points of TU and phytosterols are 60° C. and 137° C., respectively. The dissolution profile of the eutectic is shown in FIG. 2 .

FIG. 2 provides the dissolution profiles of each of Formulations 9, 51, 53, and 55, as set forth in Tables 2 and 20 herein and Capsules 2 and 4 from Example 1 of US2010/0173882. The data were obtained in a dissolution medium incorporating 2% TritonX-100 as a surfactant in the USP 2 apparatus in accordance with the present invention. The dissolution profiles of formulations in the present invention are clearly different from those in US2010/0173882. Formulations 51, 53 and 55 were used in the human clinical study described in Example 8.

Not previously identified is an effect observed in FIG. 4 depicting the dissolution profile of a formulation saturated with phytosterols (Formulation 59) and one in which excess phytosterols have been added to form a waxy solid (Formulation 61) that the concentration of phytosterols may be used to modulate the dissolution profile of formulations containing phytosterols. The dissolution profiles of FIGS. 2 and 4 illustrate that at higher concentrations phytosterols function to retard the dissolution of the therapeutic agent (FIG. 4 ).

FIG. 4 provides dissolution curves of TU from formulations 59, 60, and 61 (Table 22). Dissolution was measured in 900 mL of 25 mM phosphate buffer at pH 7.0 containing 0.1% SLS, obtained at 200 rpm using USP 2 apparatus. Formulation 59 illustrates the dissolution of a formulation with the properties of remaining a liquid a room temperature, while Formulation 60 is a suitable formulation which is solid at room temperature. Phytosterols in excess of the amount soluble at 70° C. may be added to the composition to modulate the release rate, as illustrated by the dissolution profile of Formulation 61 in FIG. 4 . Formulation 61 further has the desirable property of being a sufficiently hard material that it may be reduced to a powder, which is fillable into a capsule by ordinary means.

As previously indicated, the compositions may include additional amounts of T or TU over the amount that is solubilized in the composition. In such a case, TU can be partially suspended in the composition. Such partially solubilized and partially suspended TU compositions can be prepared by adding solids of T or TU of desired form and particle size. For example, micronized crystalline T or TU having an average particle size of less than 30 microns, nanosized crystalline T or TU having an average particle size of less than 1 micron or amorphous T or TU may be added to the composition. Such micronized or nanosized T and TU particles can be obtained by precipitation or size reduction techniques well-known in the art. In addition, partially suspended T and/or TU compositions may be obtained from a supersaturated T or TU solution or by co-precipitation with an additive from a T and/or TU solution.

It is particularly preferred that an orally administered drug delivery system be prepared by first embedding the therapeutic agent(s) into phytosterols and/or phytosterol esters and an organic polymer, separately or together, in a solid state as obtained by suspension or use of a spray-drying process.

It is especially preferred to mix the testosterone products with other auxiliary agents, binders, fillers, lubricants, surfactants or disintegration accelerators and to compress or mold the mixture into tablets or fill into a capsule.

When testosterone and testosterone esters are employed along with phytosterols and/or phytosterol esters, the use of the embedding technique of spray-drying in organic polymers (polyvinylpyrrolidone, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and its derivatives, solid polyethylene glycols), the solubility of the testosterone and testosterone esters in the intestinal fluids is enhanced.

In one embodiment, a formulation of the invention is made by dissolving testosterone and/or the particular testosterone ester, phytosterols and/or phytosterol esters together with the polymer (for example polyvinylpyrrolidone or hydroxypropyl-methylcellulose and its derivatives) in ethanol and processing the mixtures further in a spray-drying unit to form an amorphous, embedded, spray-dried formulation. It is possible in this case 1) to embed said active ingredients separately from each other or 2) to embed them together in a single processing step, to obtain an amorphous mixture.

In another embodiment, a formulation of the invention is made by suspending crystalline or amorphous testosterone and/or the particular testosterone ester, phytosterols and/or phytosterol esters in a lipid based formulation containing one or more surfactants resulting in SEDDS or SMEDDS.

The fine-particle embedded spray-dried material or the SEDDS or the SMEDDS is then subjected to dry mixing with other auxiliary agents for making tablets or capsules. The mixture is then compressed into tablets or filled into capsules.

In order to obtain a formulation with the desired release patterns, it is advantageous to individually consider characteristics of the individual components of the formulation, such as dosage of the active ingredient, ratio of testosterone to testosterone esters, selection of the ester or of the chain length at C-17 position of the androgen moiety, level of phytosterols and/or phytosterol esters, length of fatty acid chain and unsaturation level of lipids, level of surfactants, and level of sustained release polymer.

An exemplary optimized formulation is a short-acting testosterone with testosterone undecanoate (eleven-carbon chain) which has a longer half-life.

By skillful combination of testosterone with testosterone esters, in an immediate release and sustained release formulation, it is possible to attain blood level patterns which are capable of recreating or simulating the body's own rhythmicity of endogenous testosterone levels.

The present inventor has shown that by the administration of testosterone and/or testosterone undecanoate and phytosterol and/or phytosterol esters, it is possible to increase lymphatic absorption of testosterone undecanoate and modulate levels of T and DHT (FIG. 10 ). In selecting the testosterone ester, the choice can be made specifically from three groups: 1) esters of shorter chain length (for example, testosterone acetate or propionate), 2) esters of medium chain length (for example testosterone enanthate, cypionate or cyclohexanecarboxylate) and 3) esters of higher chain length (for example testosterone undecanoate, bucyclate or palmitate).

In another embodiment, the process for preparing the composition including the formulation in a delivery system containing a lipid comprises melting the lipid, phytosterols and/or phytosterol esters and mixing with the surfactant. The dry particles of the active substance are mixed with the melted lipid/phytosterol mixture to form a suspension exhibiting pseudoplastic and/or thixotropic flow properties, and poured or molded to provide solid dosage forms (FIG. 1 ).

The dry particles, which include the testosterone and/or testosterone ester, filler and optional flavorings and additives, are pre-blended and typically have a particle size in the range of from about 50 microns to about 250 microns. The pre-blended particles are gradually added to the heated lipid base containing phytosterols and/or phytosterol esters until a high solids suspension is obtained, typically in the range of about 50% to about 80% particles and from about 50% to about 20% lipid.

Slow addition of the dry particles is critical in the production of the device, to ensure that the particles are suspended in their micronized state and not as agglomerated clumps. Moreover, rapid addition can cause the mixing process to fail in that the melted suspension will not have the desired flow properties, but instead will be a granular oily mass (a sign of product failure). The mixing step is accomplished in a heated mixing device that insures thorough mixing of all materials with minimal shear, such as a planetary mixer or a scrape surface mixer. After the suspension is formed, the product is poured into molds and allowed to cool. De-molding and packaging are then performed. Alternatively, the suspension can be super-cooled and sheeted in a semi-soft format. The sheet is processed through forming rolls containing a design or configuration that embosses and forms the final shape.

The formulations and pharmaceutical compositions of the invention are useful in methods of treatment of subjects in need of such treatment. For example, the testosterone-containing formulations and pharmaceutical compositions described herein can be administered to patients who would benefit from testosterone replacement therapy. Patients suffering from any condition, disease or disorder which can be effectively treated with testosterone can benefit from the administration of a therapeutically effective amount of the testosterone-containing compositions described herein. In particular, however, the testosterone-containing compositions are effective in treating individuals suffering from androgen deficiency (e.g., postmenopausal women, menopausal women, sexually dysfunctional women, andropausal men, hypogonadal men, erectile dysfunctional men, hypogonadal adolescent boys and the like).

In one embodiment the invention provides a method of treating a condition comprising administering: a) at least one lipophilic, poorly water soluble therapeutic agent; b) a phytosterol or phytosterol ester; c) a non-sterol solubilizing agent effective for solubilization of the at least one therapeutic agent; and d) an enhancing agent effective to enhance the biological absorption and/or metabolic stability of the at least one therapeutic agent. In a particular embodiment, the therapeutic agent is an androgen, and in a more particular embodiment, the androgen is selected from testosterone and testosterone esters, such as testosterone undecanoate. In a preferred embodiment the sterol or ester thereof is a phytosterol.

In a particular embodiment the invention provides a method of treating a subject in need of treatment for erectile dysfunction wherein the method comprises administration of two therapeutic agents, a first therapeutic agent comprising an androgen and a second therapeutic agent comprising a PDE V inhibitor, including, but not limited to, tadalafil (Cialis®), sildenafil (Viagra®), and vardenafil (Levitra®).

In order to characterize the absorption and bioavailability of the formulations of the present invention, animal models can be used. As noted above, Shackleford et al studied testosterone exposure in dogs dosed with testosterone undecanoate (Shackleford et al., J. Pharmacol. And Exptl. Therap., 2003, vol. 306, no. 3, pp. 925-933.) and demonstrated that TU is almost exclusively absorbed through intestinal lymphatics by-passing the liver. Canine models are generally accepted in the art as predictive of human efficacy with respect to oral administration of testosterone and its esters.

Formulations of the present invention were tested in canine models, as described in Examples 4 and 5 below, which demonstrates improved TU absorption when co-dosed with phytosterols, as compared to TU dosed from a reference formulation composition similar to that of Andriol® Testocaps® (Table 23 and 24).

The inventor has found that phytosterols have unexpectedly enhanced the solubility of testosterone and/or testosterone esters in a range of lipid-based formulations from simple one lipid solubilizer component to complex 3-5 lipid solubilizer and surfactant SEDDS, SMEDDS and/or SNEDDS formulations from about 1% to about 40% (Tables 1-20). The formulations have been divided into various classes I through VII depending on the complexity of the formulation. These tables also provide the compositions of representative formulations of the invention along with method of making them. The solubility of testosterone undecanoate in selected fatty acids, triglycerides, mono- and diglycerides, surfactants, emulsifiers, antioxidants and co-solvents were measured to select excipients for preparing representative examples of formulation(s) for each class (Table 1). The clinical formulation was also prepared with different sterols: Phytosterols, Cholesterol, Beta-sitosterol, Sitostanol (Table 19). It was unexpectedly discovered that testosterone and testosterone undecanoate enhance each other's solubility when saturated with phytosterols (Tables 16-18).

Dosage regimens and daily dosages for testosterone can vary, as a number of factors are involved, including the age and general condition of the patient.

The present invention relates to a method of administering a combination of testosterone and/or testosterone esters, phytosterols and/or phytosterol esters, mono and polyunsaturated oils and/or esters of mono and polyunsaturated oils and/or mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids in an oral preparation so that, by finely adjusted dosing of the active ingredients with improved sustained release properties, various desired plasma levels of testosterone can be set or produced in individual patients, for example to restore an endogenous body rhythm. The testosterone, when delivered in the present invention, may provide improved sustained release properties with an improvement of 10-300% over that shown in the art using micronized/nanomilled testosterone alone or testosterone undecanoate in a commercial formulation (Andriol® Testocaps®). In the delivery system, the testosterone and testosterone esters may be delivered as a solid (capsule or tablet), liquid lipid solution, or liquid lipid suspension.

In another embodiment, the invention provides a method of administering a combination of testosterone and testosterone esters (or solely testosterone esters), phytosterols and/or phytosterol esters, mono and polyunsaturated oils and/or esters of mono and polyunsaturated oils and/or mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids in an oral preparation so that, by finely adjusted dosing of the active ingredients with immediate and/or modified release properties and targeted delivery in various regions of the GI tract, various desired plasma levels of testosterone can be set or produced in individual patients along with maintaining or controlling normal physiological levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

DHT levels in eugonadal men are typically about 1/10^(th) that of testosterone (i.e. about 30-110 ng/dL). Modified release dosage forms include but are not limited to those where drug release is modulated by gastric retention, muco-adhesion, time, pH, enzymes, or pressure. In this context, improved modified release properties are adjustment of release so that the amount of DHT relative to testosterone is minimized. Testosterone interacts with receptive androgen receptors either directly or following its conversion to DHT via the action of 5-alpha-reductase. DHT is a more potent androgen than testosterone and elevated DHT levels are thought by some scientists to increase the risk of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer. Elevated levels of DHT are a noted problem with the oral or transdermal administration of testosterone and/or testosterone esters.

In one embodiment the invention provides a method of maintaining or controlling physiological levels of DHT in a subject in need of testosterone replacement such that the physiological levels of DHT are normal or near normal and supra-physiological levels of DHT are avoided by such control or maintenance. In a particular embodiment the method for maintaining or controlling physiological levels of DHT in a subject in need of testosterone replacement comprises administration of 1) testosterone and/or testosterone undecanoate, 2) a sterol or ester thereof; 3) a non-sterol solubilizing agent effective for solubilization of the T or TU; and 4) an agent for enhancing the biological absorption and/or metabolic stability of the T or TU. In a preferred embodiment the sterol or ester thereof is a phytosterol. In a further preferred embodiment, the method results in total serum testosterone in the subject in the range of from about 300 to about 1100 ng/dL and total serum DHT in the subject in the range of from about 30 to 300 ng/dL, where the subject is a male subject. In an additionally preferred embodiment, the further embodiment the method results in total serum testosterone in the subject in the range of from about 30 to about 110 ng/dL, where the subject is a female subject.

The testosterone and/or testosterone esters, when delivered, may provide total serum testosterone in the desired range for a period of eight (8) to twelve (12) or more hours. In one embodiment, the total serum testosterone is maintained in the desired range for up to about 24 hours.

Preferably, the sterol and/or sterol esters, essential fatty acids, essential fatty acid oils, and essential fatty acid esters and therapeutic agent exert an additive or synergistic therapeutic effect or the sterols mediate negative side effects of the therapeutic agent.

The formulations and pharmaceutical compositions of the invention are further useful in methods of treatment of additional hormone deficiencies and associated effects.

Accordingly the invention provides a method of treating an androgen deficiency in a subject, where the method includes administering a pharmaceutical composition of the invention.

In various embodiments the invention provides formulations and methods including biological absorption of one or more therapeutic agents. The route of such absorption is determined by the therapeutic agent used, additional elements of the formulation and/or the method of administration. In various embodiments, the absorption comprises lymphatic absorption and/or portal absorption. In specific embodiments the absorption comprises lymphatic absorption of testosterone undecanoate.

The invention, as variously described herein in respect of features, aspects and embodiments thereof, may in particular implementations be constituted as comprising, consisting, or consisting essentially of, some or all of such features, aspects and embodiments, as well as elements and components thereof being aggregated to constitute various further implementations of the invention. The invention is described herein in various embodiments, and with reference to various features and aspects of the invention. The invention contemplates such features, aspects and embodiments in various permutations and combinations, as being within the scope of the invention. The invention may therefore be specified as comprising, consisting or consisting essentially of, any of such combinations and permutations of these specific features, aspects and embodiments, or a selected one or ones thereof.

The compositions of the invention may be further specified in specific embodiments by provisos or limitations excluding specific substituents, groups, moieties or structures, in relation to various specifications and exemplifications thereof set forth herein. Thus, the invention contemplates restrictively defined compositions, e.g., a composition excluding one or more specified ingredients.

The advantages and features of the invention are further illustrated with reference to the following examples, which are not to be construed as in any way limiting the scope of the invention but rather as illustrative of various embodiments of the invention in specific applications thereof.

Example 1 Evaluation of TU Solubility with & without Sterols in Formulations of Varying Complexity

The solubility of TU in various solubilizers was determined using conventional techniques such as incrementally adding TU until the solubilizer could no longer solubilize additional material. Table 1 below lists experimentally measured solubilities of testosterone undecanoate (TU) in various excipients of interest. Formulations 1-50 below starting with simple one component to complex 4-6 components (Classes I through VII) were then prepared representing different categories of solubilizers. The solubility of TU and/or T was enhanced by sterols (phytosterols, cholesterol, sitostanol, and beta-sitosterol) by 1-40%. The extent of enhancement is governed by the properties of solubilizers, emulsifiers, and surfactants selected to form the formulation.

The formulations listed in Tables 1 to 20 were prepared by combining the excipients, except phytosterols, in the proportions given. The formulation was then completed by saturating with phytosterols and the addition of active agent to the desired level.

TABLE 1 Testosterone undecanoate (TU) solubility in various solubilizers TU Solubility (mg/ Vehicle g) at 37 C. Oleic acid 405 Linoleic acid 391 Linolenic acid 162 Ricinoleic acid 244 Caprylic acid 595 Incromega E7010 (omega-3) 247 Incromega TG7010 SR (omega-3 high purity) 225 Omega-3 ethyl esters w/ antioxidant (AMRI) 261 Omega-3 ethyl esters w/o antioxidant (AMRI) 360 Crodamol IPM (isopropyl myristate) 295 Crodamol IPP (isopropyl palmitate) 215 Crodamol EO (ethyl oleate) 221 Ethyl linoleate 230 Sunflower oil 105 Safflower oil 124 Sesame oil 138 Castor oil 218 Canola oil 167 Corn oil 243 Maisine 35-1   93 Linseed oil 179 Olive oil 161 Glyceryl trioleate (Capmul GTO) 154 Rapeseed oil 123 Soybean oil 113 Acconon CO-7   59 Miglyol 812 >100* Capmul MCM >100* Capmul PG-8 >100* Propylene glycol monolaurate >200* Glyceryl mono and dicapylate/caprate (Imwitor 742) 356 Glyceryl monooleate or GMO (Peceol (Gattefosse)) 323 Glyceryl ricinoleate (Softigen 701) 261 Propylene glycol monocaprylate (Capryol 90, 486 Gattefosse) Labrasol  43* Labrafil M 1944 CS 242 Labrafil M 2125 CS 257 Polyglycery1-3-dioleate (Plurol oleique CC497) 193 Polyglycery1-3-diisostearate (Plurol diisosterique) 173 Polyglycery1-6-dioleate (Caprol MPGO, Abitec) 184 Span 80 289 Polysorbate 85 125 Cremophor RH40  88* Polysorbate 80 (Tween 80)  39* N-methyl pyrolidone >500  Transcutol HP 180 dl-alpha-tocopherol 527 Phosal 50 PG (~50% Lecithin in PG, sunflower mono- 138 diglycerides and ascorbyl palmitate) *Solubility determined at 25° C.

TABLE 2 Class I: TU + Phytosterols Formulation TU Phytosterols # % % 1 5 95 2 10 90 3 20 80 4 30 70 5 40 60 6 50 50 7 60 40 8 70 30 9 80 20 10 90 10 11 95 5

TABLE 3 Class II: TU + 1 Lipid Solubilizer + Phytosterols % Composition (w/w) Formulation # 12 13 Ω-3 Ethyl esters w 100 antioxidant Oleic acid 100 TU solubility mg/gm 246 385 TU solubility mg/gm 290 418 saturated with phytosterols Percent change in 17.9% 8.6 solubility

TABLE 4 Mono/diglyceride or Polyoxylglyceride Based % Composition (w/w) Formulation # 14 15 GMO (Peceol) 100 — Labrafil M 1944 CS — 100 TU solubility mg/gm 257 242 TU solubility mg/gm saturated 317 275 with phytosterols Percent change in solubility 23.3 13.6

TABLE 5 Class III: TU + 1 Lipid Solubilizer + Surfactant + Phytosterols Triglyceride or Fatty Acid Based % Composition (w/w) Formulation # 16 17 18 Corn oil 65 Oleic acid 65 Caprylic acid 65 Cremophor RH40 11.67 11.67 11.67 Tween 80 23.33 23.33 23.33 TU solubility mg/gm 218 254 407 TU solubility mg/gm 237 354 469 w/ phytosterols Percent change in 8.7% 39.4% 15.2% solubility

TABLE 6 Mono/diglyceride Based % Composition (w/w) Formulation # 19 20 GMO (Peceol) 65 Capryol 90 65 Cremophor RH40 11.67 11.67 Tween 80 23.33 23.33 TU solubility mg/gm 221 272 TU w/phytosterols 233 352 Percent change in solubility 5.4% 29.4%

TABLE 7 Polyoxylglyceride Based % Composition (w/w) Formulation # 21 Labrafil M 2125 CS 65 Cremophor RH40 11.67 Tween 80 23.33 TU solubility mg/gm 191 TU solubility mg/gm w/ 252 phytosterols Percent change in solubility 31.9%

TABLE 8 Class IV: TU + 2 Lipid Solubilizers + Surfactant + Phytosterols Fatty acid based Table 1 % Composition (w/w) Formulation # 22 23 24 25 Oleic acid 39.85 47.86 Caprylic acid 29.07 38.20 GMO (Peceol) 25.15 35.93 Capryol 90 17.14 26.80 Cremophor RH40 11.67 11.67 11.67 11.67 Tween 80 23.33 23.33 23.33 23.33 TU solubility 245 264 252 328 mg/gm TU solubility 258 331 309 390 mg/gm s when saturated with phytosterols Percent change in 5.3 25.4 22.6 18.9 solubility

TABLE 9 Class IV: TU + 2 Lipid Solubilizers + Surfactant + Phytosterols Triglyceride based % Composition (w/w) Formulation # 26 27 Castor oil 40 Corn oil 40 Labrafil M 2125 CS 25 25 Cremophor RH40 11.67 11.67 Tween 80 23.33 23.33 TU solubility mg/gm 143 144 TU solubility mg/gm w/ 195 162 phytosterols Percent change in solubility 36.4 12.5

TABLE 10 Class V: TU + 3 Lipid Solubilizers + Surfactant (1 Cremophor RH40: 2 Tween 80) + Lecithin + HPMC + Phytosterols % Composition (w/w) Formulation # 28 29 Oleic acid 30.05 30.05 GMO (Peceol) 18.97 18.97 Labrafil M 2125 CS 14.71 14.71 Cremophor RH40 11.44 Tween 80 22.87 34.31 Lecithin 0.98 0.98 HPMC 0.98 0.98 TU solubility mg/gm 263 240 TU solubility mg/gm 277 293 saturated with phytosterols Percent change in 5.3 22.1 solubility

TABLE 11 % Composition (w/w) Formulation # 30 31 32 Oleic acid 30.05 30.05 30.05 Capryol 90 18.97 18.97 18.97 Labrafil M 2125 CS 14.71 14.71 14.71 Cremophor RH40 11.44 34.31 Tween 80 22.87 34.31 Lecithin 0.98 0.98 0.98 HPMC 0.98 0.98 0.98 TU solubility mg/gm 238 231 240 TU solubility mg/gm 277 277 282 saturated with phytosterols Percent change in 16.4 19.9 17.5 solubility

TABLE 12 % Composition (w/w) Formulation # 33 34 Caprylic acid 30.05 30.05 GMO (Peceol) 18.97 18.97 Labrafil M 2125 CS 14.71 14.71 Cremophor RH40 11.44 34.31 Tween 80 22.87 Lecithin 0.98 0.98 HPMC 0.98 0.98 TU solubility mg/gm 328 320 TU solubility mg/gm 354 351 saturated with phytosterols Percent change in 7.9 9.7 solubility

TABLE 13 % Composition (w/w) Formulation # 35 36 Caprylic acid 30.05 30.05 Capryol 90 18.97 18.97 Labrafil M 2125 CS 14.71 14.71 Cremophor RH40 11.44 Tween 80 22.87 34.31 Lecithin 0.98 0.98 HPMC 0.98 0.98 TU solubility mg/gm 301 317 TU solubility mg/gm 319 340 saturated with phytosterols Percent change in 6.0 7.3 solubility

TABLE 14 % Composition (w/w) Formulation # 37 38 39 Oleic acid 45.75 45.75 45.75 GMO (Peceol) 28.88 28.88 28.88 Labrafil M 2125 CS 22.39 22.39 22.39 Cremophor RH40 1 0.33 Twecn 80 1 0.67 Lecithin 0.99 0.99 0.99 HPMC 0.99 0.99 0.99 TU solubility mg/gm 384 368 366 TU solubility mg/gm 393 410 410 saturated with phytosterols Percent change in 2.3 11.4 12.0 solubility

TABLE 15 % Composition (w/w) Formulation # 40 41 Castor oil 30.00 Miglyol 30.00 Lauryl glycol 20.00 20.00 Labrafil M 1944 CS. 15.00 15.00 Cremophor RH40 35.00 35.00 TU solubility mg/gm 115 123 TU solubility mg/gm 143 127 saturated with phytosterols Percent change in 24% 3.3% solubility

Class VI: Formulations of T and TU with and without Phytosterol Saturation

Formulations 42-45 were prepared first without phytosterols and then saturated with phytosterols. First, the added T was used to estimate the amount of solid required to produce saturation. These samples were used to determine the solubility of T in the vehicles. As soon as the T loading was known (e.g., 1 day), the same vehicles were prepared with both T and TU above saturation.

TABLE 16 Composition Composition (% w/w) (% w/w) Formulation # 42 43 Castor oil 29.30 — Lauroglycol 18.73 — Labrafil M 1944 CS 13.95 13.83 Cremophor RH40 34.08 11.64 OA — 29.80 GMO (Peceol) — 17.99 Tween 80 — 22.80 Lecithin 0.95 0.95 HPMC 0.95 0.95 Vit E 1.99 1.99 BHA 0.05 0.05 T alone solubility mg/gm 40 38 T alone solubility mg/gm 43 41 saturated with phytosterols Percent change in solubility 7.5 7.9 T solubility mg/gm in 46 48 presence of saturated TU T solubility mg/gm in 47 51 presence of saturated TU saturated with phytosterols Percent change in solubility 2.2 6.3 TU solubility mg/gm in 183 204 presence of saturated T TU solubility mg/gm in 205 218 presence of saturated T and saturated with phytosterols Percent change in solubility 12.0 6.9

TABLE 17 Formulation # 44 Ingredient Composition (% w/w) Oleic acid 100 T solubility mg/gm 35 T solubility mg/gm saturated 54 with phytosterols T solubility mg/gm in presence 52 of saturated TU T solubility mg/gm in presence of saturated 58 TU saturated with phytosterols Percent change in solubility 11.5% TU solubility mg/gm in presence of 425 saturated T TU solubility mg/gm in presence of saturated 431 T and saturated with phytosterols Percent change in solubility 1.4%

TABLE 18 Formulation # 45 Ingredients Composition (% w/w) Oleic acid 45.75 GMO (Peceol) 28.88 Labrafil M 2125 CS 22.39 Tween 80 1 Lecithin 0.99 HPMC 0.99 T solubility mg/gm 51 T solubility mg/gm saturated with 54 phytosterols T solubility mg/gm in presence of 51 saturated TU T solubility mg/gm in presence of 55 saturated TU saturated with phytosterols Percent change in solubility 7.8 TU solubility mg/gm in presence of 358 saturated T TU solubility mg/gm in presence of saturated 375 T and saturated with phytosterols Percent change in solubility 4.7

TABLE 19 Class VII: Solubility of TU in Oleic Acid Based Formulation with Cholesterol, Stigmastanol (β-sitostanol) and β-sitosterol Composition (% w/w) Formulation # 46 47 48 49 50 Ingredients OA OA OA-Chol OA-Stig OA-β- sitosterol OA 29.80 29.80 29.80 29.80 29.80 GMO (Peceol) 17.99 17.99 17.99 17.99 17.99 Labrafil M 13.83 13.83 13.83 13.83 13.83 1944 CS Cremophor 11.64 11.64 11.64 11.64 11.64 RH40 Tween 80 22.80 22.80 22.80 22.80 22.80 Sterol No sterols Sat. w/ Sat. w/ Sat. w/ Sat. w/β- phytosterol Cholesterol Stigmastanol sitosterol Lecithin 0.95 0.95 0.95 0.95 0.95 HPMC 0.95 0.95 0.95 0.95 0.95 Vit E 1.99 1.99 1.99 1.99 1.99 BHA 0.95 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 TU solubility, 152 155 162 160 179 mg/gm Percent change — 2.0 6.6 5.3 17.8 in solubility compared to the ‘no sterols’ colunm

TABLE 20 Clinical and animal study formulations Unit Formulation % RAW MATERIAL 51 (clinical) 53 (clinical) Formulation # 52 (animal)* 54 (animal)* 55 (clinical) Testosterone 11.54 11.54 11.54 Undecanoate Castor oil 25.40 Oleic acid 25.93 25.93 Lipoid E PC S 0.85 0.85 0.85 (Egg Lecithin) Cremophor RH40 29.63 9.88 9.87 Polysorbate-80 19.74 19.73 Labrafil M 1944 CS 12.70 11.69 5.17 Lauroglycol 90 16.93 Glyceryl mono-oleate 15.37 8.85 Type 40 Precirol ® 13.26 Phytosterols as 2.12 2.11 2.12 CardioAid XF Hypromellose 2910 0.85 0.85 0.85 (HPMC) dl-α-Tocopherol 2.00 1.77 Butylated Hydroxy- 0.05 0.05 0.05 anisole (BHA) *Formulations used for animal studies did not contain dl-α-Tocopherol or BHA.

For those formulations where the level of phytosterols was achieved by saturation, the level of phytosterols is from about 2% to about 20%. The level of solubilizers ranges from about 10% to about 90%. The level of surfactants ranges from about 1% to about 35%.

This example shows that formulations containing TU and/or T may be prepared from the compositions of Table 1-20 to contain the active agent in any concentration up to the solubility shown. In addition, the formulation may be further modified by addition of testosterone and/or testosterone ester beyond the solubility shown, while retaining useful dissolution and other pharmaceutical properties. FIG. 4 of Example 3 illustrates this modulation of properties.

Example 2 Preparation of Compositions Comprising Testosterone Undecanoate

Compositions comprising T, TU, and Phytosterol were prepared by weighing out the components in the described amount, placing the components into an appropriate container, mixing the components in an appropriate manner and, if necessary, heating to facilitate the solubilization of T, TU, and Phytosterols in the formulation. The formulations can be prepared by adding the components in any order. For example, T, TU, and phytosterols can be added to an individual component or into mixtures of two or more components. The composition can be prepared at room temperature or gently heated to 40-60° C. The composition can also be prepared by melting TU or Phytosterol and/or phytosterol esters at a temperature above the melting point, i.e., 64-66° C., followed by mixing it with other components. Traditional mixing techniques can be used, including, for example, mechanical agitation, stirring and sonication of the components. The clinical formulations 51, 53, and 55 were prepared using semi-automated equipment. A flow chart of a small-scale manufacturing process for preparation of pharmaceutical products suitable for clinical use is shown in FIG. 1 . This process is suitable for the small scale manufacture of HPMC capsules, and it is a simple matter to adapt the process to gelatin capsules by replacing the IPMC banding solution with a gelatin banding solution. Other means of sealing capsules are also available, such as the LEMS™ system used with LiCaps™. Formulations containing only TU and Phytosterols were prepared by melting the mixture and cooling to room temperature. The solid was ground to a powder and filled into gelatin or HPMC capsules.

Formulations which are liquid at room temperature can be converted into free flowable powder or a waxy solid by addition of carriers or spraying the formulation on to an inert carrier. An example of preparing a solid powder is given below in Table 21. The liquid formulation was prepared by heating TU, excess phytosterols, and all other excipients at 70° C. for one day and cooled to room temp. Microcrystalline cellulose was added to absorb the formulation and yield a solid that was ground to a powder and filled in a HPMC capsule. The dissolution profile of the formulation is shown in FIG. 3 .

The dissolution profiles of selected formulations prepared in the above manner and chosen from Table 2-21 are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 .

In FIG. 2 , dissolution profiles are provided for all of TU formulations 51, 53 and 55 (Table 20); Formulation 9 (Table 2), and Capsules 2 and 4 of Example 1 from US2010/0173882. The data were obtained in a dissolution medium incorporating 2% TritonX-100 as a surfactant in the USP 2 apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

In FIG. 3 , dissolution profiles are provided for all of TU Formulations 17 (Table 5), 28 (Table 10), 39 (Table 14), 56, 57 (Table 27) and 58 (Table 21). The data were obtained in a dissolution medium incorporating 2% TritonX-100 as a surfactant in the USP 2 apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

TABLE 21 Formulation # 58 Ingredient Composition (% w/w) TU 120 mg/gm OA 30.05 GMO 18.97 Labrafil M 1944 CS 14.71 Cremophor RH40 11.44 Tween 80 22.87 Phytosterol Saturated Lecithin  0.98 HPMC  0.98 Microcrystalline Cellulose 40 parts of microcrystalline cellulose were added to 60 parts of the above formulation.

Example 3 Preparation of Compositions Comprising Testosterone Undecanoate and Phytosterols

The percentage of phytosterol in the phytosterol-saturated formulations ranges from 2% to 20%. Three formulations are described in Table 22 containing between 5.8% and 44.6% phytosterols. FIG. 4 describes the dissolution profiles of these three formulations. Dissolution was measured in 900 mL of 25 mM phosphate buffer at pH 7.0 containing 0.1% SLS, obtained at 200 rpm using USP 2 apparatus. Formulation 59 illustrates the dissolution of a formulation with the properties of remaining a liquid a room temperature, while Formulation 60 is a suitable formulation which is solid at room temperature. Phytosterols in excess of the amount soluble at 70° C. may be added to the composition to modulate the release rate, as illustrated by the dissolution profile of Formulation 61 in FIG. 4 . Formulation 61 further has the desirable property of being a sufficiently hard material that it may be reduced to a powder, which is fillable into a capsule by ordinary means. As can be seen from FIG. 4 , phytosterols behave as delayed release agents due to their high log P (˜12) and hydrophobic properties.

The formulations of Table 22 range in phytosterol composition from about 6% to 45% by weight. The same formulations range in TU composition from about 20% to about 72% by weight.

TABLE 22 Formulation compositions with phytosterols Percent composition Component Formulation 59 Formulation 60 Formulation 61 TU 20.3% 71.7% 42.2% Oleic acid 18.5% 6.7% 4.0% GMO 11.1% 4.0% 2.4% Labrafil M 8.4% 3.1% 1.8% 1944 CS Cremophor 7.1% 2.6% 1.5% RH40 Tween 80 14.1% 5.1% 3.0% Phytosterols 18.2% 5.8% 44.6% Lyso Lecithin 0.6% 0.2% 0.1% HPMC 0.6% 0.2% 0.1% Vitamin E 1.3% 0.5% 0.3%

Example 4 In Vivo Dosing and PK Profile of Testosterone Undecanoate in Lipid Formulations

A test was conducted of TU-containing lipid formulations for increased absorption in accordance with the methods of Shackleford et al., J. Pharmacol. And Exptl. Therap., 2003, vol. 306, no. 3, pp. 925-933.

Test formulations were administered to four beagle dogs (body weight 8-10 kg) with food. The dosages were delivered as formulations consisting of two or three capsules. There were six different formulations in this study and they were identified by letters A through F.

Treatment A was a reference formulation of testosterone undecanoate (40 mg TU in a vehicle of 60:40 castor oil:lauroglycol, which is the formulation of the commercial product Andriol Testocap®). Treatments B through F all contained TU in castor oil base (Formulation 52 in Table 20) and are described in Table 23. All treatments, including the reference formulation contained a dosage of 80 mg per dog of TU, and one treatment also contained 100 mg of testosterone (T).

Whole venous blood samples of approximately 2.0 mL were collected from a peripheral vein of all animals for determination of serum concentrations of the reference or test article. Samples were collected at the following target time points at each dose: predose, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 hours after administration.

Graphs of the results of serum concentration analyses for TU and T are provided in FIG. 5 . It can be seen from FIG. 5 that significant TU absorption was observed with Formulation C (TU+castor oil+solubilized phytosterols+solid phytosterols), Formulation B (TU+castor oil+solubilized phytosterols) and Formulation D (TU+castor oil+solubilized phytosterols+phytosterols esters), as compared to reference Formulation A, lacking phytosterols.

The TU and T area under the curve (AUC) results and relative bioavailability were as follows:

TABLE 23 PK parameters from a formulation study in beagle dogs Mean TU Relative Mean T Relative Treatment exposure, Standard bioavailability exposure, Standard bioavailability description ng*h/mL Deviation (TU) ng*h/mL Deviation (T) A 80 mg TU in a 1029.9 349.2 100% 65.6 16 100% formulation of 60:40 castor oil:lauroglycol B 80 mg TU as 1437.8 454.9 140% 83.9 21 128% Formulation 52 C 80 mg TU as 2181.5 1124.0 212% 99.7 20.7 152% Formulation 52, co- dosed with 400 mg phytosterols D 80 mg TU as 1357.5 829.6 132% 62.1 19.8  95% Formulation 52, co- dosed with 640 mg phytosterol esters E 80 mg TU as 1297.5 214.1 126% 143 48.1 218% Formulation 52, 100 mg of testosterone, 640 mg phytosterol esters F 80 mg TU as 1700.0 867.8 165% 76.4 13.4 116% Formulation 52, 5 mg finasteride

This example demonstrates that the formulations of the present invention increase the absorption of TI up to 2-fold, as compared to a commercial formulation. The resulting T exposures are also increased.

Example 5 In Vivo Dosing and PK Profile of Testosterone Undecanoate in Lipid Formulations

This study consisted of two parts: Part 1 and Part 2. Part 1 of the study examined the effects of the metabolic inhibitors dutasteride and finasteride, and Part 2 examined the effect of 800 mg of phytosterols on T and DHT.

Part 1 consisted of two arms: a dutasteride arm and a finasteride arm. In the dutasteride arm four female Beagle dogs were dosed with 80 mg testosterone undecanoate (#52) and 400 mg phytosterol powder for three days (Days 3-5) followed by dutasteride at 2.5 mg (a one day loading dose; Day 6) and dutasteride at 0.5 mg for three more days (Days 7-9). These dogs then received 80 mg testosterone undecanoate (#52), 400 mg phytosterol powder, and 0.5 mg dutasteride for three days (days 10-12). The finasteride arm (four female Beagle dogs) was dosed identically to the dutasteride arm except finasteride at 5.0 mg was given instead of dutasteride, and the study lasted an additional three days (Days 13-15), during which 400 mg phytosterol only was dosed the first two days (Days 13, 14), and 80 mg TU in oleic acid formulation (#54) plus 400 mg phytosterols were dosed on Day 15. All testosterone undecanoate doses were administered to animals in the fed state.

Part 2 consisted of one arm and four female Beagle dogs were dosed with 80 mg testosterone undecanoate and 800 mg phytosterol powder for one day. All doses of testosterone undecanoate were administered to animals in the fed state.

Whole venous blood samples of approximately 2.0 ml were collected from a peripheral vein of all animals for determination of serum concentrations of T and DHT by LCMS. Samples were collected at the following target time points at each dose: predose, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 hours after administration.

Graphs of the results of serum concentration analyses for testosterone are provided in FIG. 6 . It can be seen from FIG. 6 that significant systemic T exposure was observed with the oleic acid formulation (#54) relative to the Castor oil formulation (#52). The DHT levels with the Oleic acid formulation were also significantly lower relative to the Castor oil formulation (#52) as shown in FIG. 10 .

Graphs of the results of serum concentration analyses for T and DHT for the finasteride arm and the dutasteride arm are provided in FIGS. 7 & 8 , respectively. It can be seen from FIGS. 7 & 8 that 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors had no significant effect on the T and DHT exposures.

Graphs of the results of serum concentration analyses for testosterone for Part 2 evaluating the effect of 800 mg of phytosterol vs. 400 mg in Part 1 using the castor oil formulation (#52) are provided in FIG. 9 . It can be seen from FIG. 9 that there was no difference in T levels with increased levels of phytosterols.

Bar graphs of average T and DHT exposures (ng-h/mL) for all six treatments of TU formulations in beagle dogs in this study are given in FIG. 10 . All treatments were co-dosed with 400 mg phytosterols except treatment L which was co-dosed with 800 mg of phytosterols. Error bars represent plus and minus one standard deviation.

It can be seen from FIG. 10 that oleic acid formulation gives the highest T level and lowest DHT level of all the treatments tested. The DHT/T ratio for this formulation is approaching the normal DHT/T value of 0.17 to 0.26 (FIG. 11 ). The numerical data for TU and T exposure and relative bioavailabilities for this study is given in Table 24 below.

TABLE 24 PK parameters from a formulation study in beagle dogs Mean TU Relative Mean T Relative exposure, Standard bioavailability exposure, Standard bioavailability DHT/T Treatment description ng*h/mL Deviation TU² ng*h/mL Deviation (T)² ratio G and I: Formulation 52 3110¹ 947¹ 302% 123.6¹ 16.4¹ 188% 0.49 80 mg TU in a castor oil formulation, co-dosed with 400 mg phytosterols K Formulation 54 3030 474 294% 210 18.4 320% 0.26 80 mg TU in an oleic acid formulation, co-dosed with 400 mg phytosterols H Formulation 52 2680 989 260% 132 27.9 201% 0.77 80 mg TU in a castor oil formulation, co-dosed with 400 mg phytosterols, co-dosed with 0.5 mg dutasteride J: Formulation 52 1660 342 161% 115 33.5 175% 0.56 80 mg TU in a castor oil formulation, co-dosed with 400 mg phytosterols, co-dosed with 5mg finasteride L: Formulation 52 2630 969 255% 138 30.6 210% 0.27 80 mg TU in a castor oil formulation, co-dosed with 800 mg phytosterols ¹The mean values for Formulation 52 co-dosed with 400 mg phytosterols reflect the average of two groups of 4 beagle dogs (Treatments G and I). ²Referenced to the TU and T exposures of Treatment A, Table 23.

This example demonstrates that formulations of the present invention enhance TU absorption relative to the reference formulation (Treatment A of Table 23) by up to 3-fold. This example also demonstrates that resulting T exposures are increased up to 3-fold relative to the same reference formulation. It is also observed that the DHT/T ratios for Treatment K and L approach the normal physiological values in humans, versus other formulations.

Example 6 Lipid Dispersion Studies

The lipid dispersion test can be used to select formulations that maximize the amount of TU in the aqueous phase.

Buffer solution (100 mL) is prepared. Each test requires 36 mL with the following composition: 50 mM TRIS maleate/150 mM NaCl/5 mM CaCl₂.2H₂O/5 mM Na taurodeoxycholate/1.25 mM lecithin.

TRIS, maleic acid, NaCl and CaCl₂.2H₂O are dissolved together. The buffer can be made to about 90% final volume, with adjustment of the pH to 6.8 with NaOH or HCl. Na taurodeoxycholate is dissolved into the solution. Lipoid E PC S should be removed from the freezer and allowed to thaw to room temperature in its bag with desiccant before removing it from the bag. Lecithin is dissolved, which requires stirring for several hours for the solution to clarify. The solution is quantitatively transferred back into a volumetric flask and diluted to volume with purified water. The final pH is checked and recorded it on the flask. Once the solution is made, it is stored in the refrigerator.

TABLE 25 Dispersion media MW Molarity Wt (g) to Wt (g) to Component (g/mol) (M) make 100 mL make 500 mL TRIS (base) 121.14 0.05 0.6057 3.0285 Maleic acid 116.08 0.05 0.5804 2.902 NaCl 58.44 0.15 0.8766 4.383 CaCl2-2H20 147.02 0.005 0.07351 0.36755 Na taurodeoxy- 521.7 0.005 0.26085 1.30425 cholate (hydrate) Lecithin 775 0.00125 0.096875 0.484375 (Lipoid E PC S) Dispersion Experiment

Procedure: To the 36 mL of the dispersion buffer add 0.2 ml of formulation (initial test will use vehicle blank) quantitatively. Note that 0.2 mL per 40 mL is equivalent to about 1 mL in 200 ml, so it is a biorelevant amount. Draw samples every 15 minute to assess dissolution over 60 min; analyze for TU.

The results are presented in Table 26 below. The improved dispersion properties of the invention are evident in the percentage of TU solubilized. The Castor oil:lauroglycol formulation is the same composition as Andriol® Testocaps®.

TABLE 26 Results of dispersion testing of 60 mg of TU in Formulation 52 and castor oil: lauroglycol 60:40 TU percent contained Formulation in dispersed phase Castor oil:lauroglycol 60:40   0% Formulation 52 84.5%

Example 7 Stability of Compositions Comprising Testosterone Undecanoate

The following formulations were stored at 60° C. for up to 2 weeks. The Iodine values for the formulations 56 and 57 were measured at 0, 1, and 2 weeks to assess the stability of the unsaturated excipients in the formulation, in the presence and absence of phytosterols.

TABLE 27 Formulation # 56 Composition Ingredient (% w/w) 57 TU 120 mg/gm 120 mg/gm OA 30.05 30.05 GMO 18.97 18.97 Labrafil M 1944 CS 14.71 14.71 Cremophor RH40 11.44 11.44 Tween 80 22.87 22.87 Phytosterol  0 Saturated* Lecithin  0.98  0.98 HPMC  0.98  0.98 *Component percentages are taken before saturation of the vehicle with phytosterols at 70° C.

The iodine value II is the number that expresses in grams the quantity of halogen, calculated as iodine, that can be fixed in the prescribed conditions by 100 g of the substance. Iodine value test per USP <401> Fats and Fixed Oils (Method 1) is used for determining the Iodine number. The method follows.

Procedure: Introduce the prescribed quantity of the substance to be examined (mg) into a 250 ml flask fitted with a ground-glass stopper and previously dried or rinsed with glacial acetic acid, and dissolve it in 15 ml of chloroform unless otherwise prescribed. Add very slowly 25.0 ml of iodine bromide solution. Close the flask and keep it in the dark for 30 min unless otherwise prescribed, shaking frequently. Add 10 ml of a 100 g/l solution of potassium iodide and 100 ml of water. Titrate with 0.1 M sodium thiosulphate, shaking vigorously until the yellow color is almost discharged. Add 5 ml of starch solution and continue the titration adding the 0.1 M sodium thiosulphate dropwise until the color is discharged (n₁ ml of 0.1 M sodium thiosulphate). Carry out a blank test under the same conditions (n₂ ml of 0.1 M sodium thiosulphate).

$I_{1} = \frac{1.269\mspace{14mu}\left( {n_{2} - n_{1}} \right)}{m}$

Iodine number values after 1 and 2 weeks are given in Table 28. It can be seen from Table 28 that phytosterols minimize the degradation of the oxidation of the double bonds in the lipid-based formulations. This discovery enables longer shelf-life for oxidation-prone lipid-based formulations to be achieved.

TABLE 28 Stability results Iodine Test Formulation Initial 1 week at 60° C. 2 weeks at 60° C. 56 59.48 42.89 41.86 57 59.20 57.24 53.26

The clinical formulations 51, 53, and 55 the compositions of which are listed in Table 20 were stored at 25° C./60RH for 4 weeks. The TU content and impurities were measured at 0, and 4 weeks. Results at 0 and 4 weeks are given in Table 29.

TABLE 29 Stability results Initial 4 weeks at 25° C./60 RH Formulation (related imps) (related imps) 51 101.8% (0.23) 99.6% (0.50) 53 100.4% (0.43) 98.7% (1.11) 55 101.8% (0.45) 98.5% (0.92)

The results in Table 28 demonstrate that phytosterols enhance the stability of formulations containing unsaturated fatty acids or glycerides. Table 29 demonstrates the acceptable stability of the clinical formulations 51, 53, and 55 (Table 20).

Example 8 In-Vivo Dosing and Prediction of Human PK Parameters of Compositions Comprising Testosterone Undecanoate

Formulations 51, 53, and 55 were selected for assessment of PK profile in hypogonadal men. These capsules were manufactured according to Example 2, each capsule containing 40 mg of TU. Using accepted principles of allometric scaling and the direct comparison of the in-vivo results obtained with Andriol® Testocaps®, human clinical exposures are predicted as in Tables 30 and 31.

A randomized, single-dose, open-label, 5-period crossover study to evaluate the bioavailability, safety, and tolerability of four different testosterone undecanoate treatments versus a reference formulation (Andriol® Testocaps®) that is the current marketed formulation of TU was performed. Three investigational formulations 51, 53, and 55 comprised three of the treatments; the fourth treatment was a combination of the two (Formulations 53 and 55) of the investigational formulations. The study enrolled hypogonadal men that have low systemic testosterone levels but do not exhibit clinical symptoms at such levels (i.e., the subjects are asymptomatic).

A total of 8 subjects were enrolled to receive a single dose of each of the four test treatments (80 mg TU per dose) and the reference formulation (80 mg TU as Andriol® Testocaps®) under fed conditions in crossover fashion. Subjects were randomized to treatment sequence with a washout period of 24 hours (period 1 to 3 for Andriol® Testocaps®, formulation 51 and 53) or 48 hours (period 4 and 5 for formulations 55 and 53+55) between each blinded administration of study drug. Each dose of study drug was immediately preceded by a standard meal to allow for dosing in the fed state.

Serial blood samples for serum PK analysis of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels were collected at 0 (pre-dose), 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 24 and additional 16 and 48 (period 4 and 5) hours after dosing of each of the test and reference TU formulations to characterize single-dose bioavailability and pharmacokinetics. Vitals signs, AEs, clinical labs, ECGs, and urinalysis was assessed pre-dose and at various times through discharge.

Based on the dog PK data on Andriol® Testocaps® and formulations 52 and 54 and available human data on Andriol® Testocaps®, the predicted human C_(avg) for formulations 51 and 53 is given in Tables 30 and 31. Note that Formulations 51 and 53 are derived from Formulations 52 and 54 by addition of minor amounts of antioxidants. For comparison, the steady state testosterone C_(avg) of a SEDDS formulation from Clarus Therapeutics with a dose of 316 mg of TU (200 mg T equivalent) is 514 ng/dL (Roth et al, International Journal of Andrology, on-line issue October 2010).

Allometric scaling was carried out using the published method contained in guidance published by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States (FDA), in Guidance for Industry: Estimating the Maximum Safe Starting Dose in Initial Clinical Trials for Therapeutics in Adult Healthy Volunteers, published in July 2005. The factor of 0.54 is used to convert from mg/kg dosing in dogs to the approximate equivalent dose in humans. In the in-vivo study in beagle dogs, the TU dose was 80 mg, the average animal weight 9.4 kg, and the dose/kg body weight is 8.5 mg/kg. The equivalent human dose is 8.5 mg/kg×0.54=4.6 mg/kg. For a proposed human dose of 80 mg, and an average adult male weight of 60 kg, the dose/kg body weight would be 1.3 mg/kg. Assuming linear pharmacokinetics for T-exposure resulting from the dosing of TU, the resulting predicted human exposure factor for the 80 mg human dose is (1.3/4.6)=0.28.

TABLE 30 Predicted human PK parameters for testosterone for Formulations 52 and 54 by allometric scaling AUC (0-12) Formulation (ng-h/mL) Formulation 52 result in dogs 99.7 Predicted human PK 27.9 parameter of Formulation 51 Formulation 54 result in dogs 210 Predicted human PK 58.8 parameter of Formulation 53

A direct comparison of the T exposure (C_(max) and AUC) between dogs and humans is also possible based on published data for Andriol® Testocaps® (Bagchus et al). The resulting predicted values of the AUC (0-12 hr) exposure is somewhat higher than the allometric approach using the direct comparison approach.

TABLE 31 Predicted human PK parameters for 80 mg TU dose for Formulations 52 and 54 by direct comparison method Composition or Cmax AUC 0-12 hrs formulation ng/mL ng-h/mL Dog: 60:40 castor  7.7¹  35.6¹ oil:lauroglycol FCC Human: 60:40 castor  32.9²  65.6² oil:lauroglycol FCC Ratio dog:human:  0.23  0.54 Formulation 52 result in  53.6  99.7 dogs Predicted human PK  12.5  54.1 parameters of Formulation 51³ Formulation 54 result in 123 210 dogs Predicted human PK  28.8 113.4 parameters of Formulation 53³ ¹Treatment in beagle dogs is the same composition as published for Andriol ® Testocaps ® except filled into hard gelatin capsules. ²Testocaps ® from Andriol ® Testocaps ® web site, WM Bagchus, F Maris, PG Schnabel, NS Houwing, Dose Proportionality of Andriol ® Testocaps ™) ³Phytosterols, 400 mg, co-administered with Formulations 52 and 54 to dogs. Formulations 51 and 53 will be co-administered in humans with phytosterols, 400 mg. 4.

FIG. 12 shows the predicted average human concentrations of T and DHT resulting from dosing with Formulations 51 and 53. Treatment I is Formulation 51 co-dosed with 400 mg phytosterols. Treatment K is Formulation 53 co-dosed with 400 mg phytosterols. Treatment L is Formulation 51 co-dosed with 800 mg phytosterols. The predictions of human exposure are based on extrapolation of in vivo results in beagle dogs, using the beagle dog and human PK parameters for a reference formulation of TU in 60% castor oil and 40% lauroglycol.

Example 9 Solubility Studies of Testosterone/Testosterone Undecanoate Formulations

An excess amount of drug was added to each screw capped glass vial containing 2 ml of vehicle in a water bath with constant stirring using a vortex mixture to facilitate drug solubilization. The mixture was kept at 37° C. and 50° C. temperature for 72 hr. to attain equilibrium. The samples were than centrifuged and then the supernatant was taken. The aliquots of supernatant were diluted and drug assay was performed.

Table 32 gives the compositions of five formulations, and Table 33 the resulting solubilities of testosterone and testosterone undecanoate in the formulations. Surprisingly, the solubility of T and TU were each enhanced when both were present.

TABLE 32 Composition of five formulations Cremophor Imwitor Labrafil Maisine Lauroglycol Phytosterol Castor Oleic Formulation TU RH40 742 M1944CS 35-1 90 ester oil acid Vitamin E #E-1 25% 25% 25% 25% #E-2 25% 20% 40%  5% 10% #E-3 25% 25% 23% 10% 15% 2% #E-4 25% 20% 30% 15% 10% #E-5 20% 25% 10% 16%  2% 25% 2%

TABLE 33 Solubility study of TU, T, and TU + T in five formulations of Table 32, as mg/gram Solubility at Independent Independent Mutually Saturated. 37 C. in mg/g solubility solubility with T & TU Formulation T TU T TU E-1 39.35 220.08 72.3937 307.3898 E-2 55.61 176.19 96.0331 263.3073 E-3 47.04 214.97 77.3399 294.919 E-4 48.41 198.49 73.7321 283.5338 E-5 42.08 172.34 97.3091 271.5709

The compositions of Tables 34 through 14 were constructed in the following manner: the excipient fractions sum to 75 percent by weight, and excess TU was added to determine the equilibrium solubility in a given composition.

TABLE 34 Solubilities of TU in Cremophor: Lauroglycol 90: Cardioaid S compositions TU Solubility at room Formu- Cremophor Lauroglycol Phytosterol temperature lation RH40 90 ester (mg/g) E-6 25.0% 25.0% 25.0% 155.8 E-7 10.0% 40.0% 25.0% 171.8 E-8 10.0% 25.0% 40.0% 157.1 E-9 10.0% 32.5% 32.5% 127.9 E-10 15.0% 35.0% 25.0% 78.4 E-11 15.0% 25.0% 35.0% 114.6 E-12 15.0% 30.0% 30.0% 183.3

TABLE 35 Solubilities of TU in Cremophor: Imwitor 742: Castor oil: Cardioaid S: compositions TU Solubility at room Cremophor Imwitor Phytosterol Castor temperature Formulation RH40 742 ester oil (mg/g) E-13 20.0% 40.0%  5.0% 10.0% 70.2 E-14 10.0% 50.0%  5.0% 10.0% 59.7 E-15 10.0% 40.0% 15.0% 10.0% 97.4 E-16 10.0% 45.0% 10.0% 10.0% 103.4 E-17 15.0% 45.0%  5.0% 10.0% 87.8 E-18 15.0% 40.0% 10.0% 10.0% 132.8 E-19 15.0% 42.5%  7.5% 10.0% 89.6

TABLE 36 Solubilities of TU in Cremophor: Imwitor 742: Maisine 35-1: Cardioaid S compositions TU Solubility at room Formu- Cremophor Imwitor Maisine Phytosterol temperature lation RH40 742 35-1 ester (mg/g) E-20 20.0% 30.0% 15.0% 10.0% 43.429 E-21 10.0% 40.0% 15.0% 10.0% 56.121 E-22 10.0% 30.0% 15.0% 20.0% 92.1628 E-23 10.0% 35.0% 15.0% 15.0% 121.8165 E-24 15.0% 35.0% 15.0% 10.0% 116.3573 E-25 15.0% 30.0% 15.0% 15.0% 90.0629 E-26 15.0% 32.5% 15.0% 12.5% 81.6477

TABLE 37 Solubilities of TU in Cremophor: Imwitor 742: Cardioaid S compositions TU Solubility at room Cremophor Imwitor Phytosterol temperature Formulation RH40 742 ester (mg/g) E-27 25.0% 25.0% 25.0% 66.8987 E-28 10.0% 40.0% 25.0% 75.9736 E-29 10.0% 25.0% 40.0% 74.0708 E-30 10.0% 32.5% 32.5% 125.2376 E-31 15.0% 35.0% 25.0% 95.0812 E-32 15.0% 25.0% 35.0% 31.7936 E-33 15.0% 30.0% 30.0% 74.3438

TABLE 38 Solubilities of TU in Cremophor: Imwitor 742: Cardioaid S: Oleic acid: dl-alpha tocopherol compositions TU Solubility Cremophor Imwitor Phytosterol dl-alpha at room Formulation RH40 742 ester Oleic acid tocopherol temperature (mg/g) E-34 25.0% 23.0% 10.0% 15.0% 2.0% 102.8833 E-35 10.0% 38.0% 10.0% 15.0% 2.0% 208.0284 E-36 10.0% 23.0% 25.0% 15.0% 2.0% 157.3441 E-37 10.0% 30.5% 17.5% 15.0% 2.0% 137.5826 E-38 15.0% 33.0% 10.0% 15.0% 2.0% 166.4061 E-39 15.0% 23.0% 20.0% 15.0% 2.0% 90.2373 E-40 15.0% 28.0% 15.0% 15.0% 2.0% 113.331 E-41 10.0% 28.0% 10.0% 25.0% 2.0% 163.0139 E-42 10.0% 18.0% 10.0% 35.0% 2.0% 180.6325

TABLE 39 Solubilities of TU in Cremophor: Cardioaid S: Oleic acid compositions TU Solubility at room Cremophor Phytosterol Oleic temperature Formulation RH40 ester acid (mg/g) E-43 10.0% 10.0% 55.0% 163.6279 E-44 10.0% 25.0% 40.0% 126.4 E-45 10.0% 15.0% 50.0% 161.1433 E-46 15.0% 10.0% 50.0% 133.575 E-47 15.0% 20.0% 40.0% 160.5966 E-48 15.0% 15.0% 45.0% 176.7254 E-49 15.0% 25.0% 35.0% 139.4347

TABLE 40 Solubilities of TU in Cremophor: Imwitor742: Lauroglycol 90: Cardioaid S: Oleic acid: dl-alpha tocopherol compositions TU Solubility at room Cremophor Imwitor Lauroglycol Phytosterol dl-alpha temperature Formulation RH40 742 90 ester Oleic acid tocopherol (mg/g) E-50 10.0% 40.0% 25.0% 195.6 E-51 10.0% 35.0% 25.0% 5.0% 203.1 E-52 15.0% 30.0% 30.0% 191.8 E-53 15.0% 25.0% 30.0%   5% 192.2 E-54 15.0% 15.0% 30.0%   15% 174.1 E-55 15.0% 10.0% 30.0%   20% 169.8 E-56 10.0% 38.0% 10.0% 15.0% 2.0% 181.6 E-57 10.0% 35.0% 10.0% 15.0% 5.0% 194.9 E-58 10.0% 23.0% 25.0% 15.0% 2.0% 178.4 E-59 10.0% 20.0% 25.0% 15.0% 5:0% 193.9 E-60 10.0% 18.0% 10.0% 35.0% 2.0% 200.7 E-61 10.0% 15.0% 10.0% 35.0% 5.0% 212.5 E-62 10.0% 10.0% 55.0% 228.2 E-63 10.0% 10.0% 50.0% 5.0% 236.5 E-64 10.0% 15.0% 50.0% 198.2 E-65 10.0% 15.0% 45.0% 5.0% 210.9 E-66 15.0% 15.0% 45.0% 176.4 E-67 15.0% 15.0% 40.0% 5.0% 187.1

TABLE 41 Solubilities of TU in Cremophor:Maisine-35-1: Lauroglycol 90: Cardioaid S: Oleic acid: dl-alpha tocopherol compositions TU Solubility at room Cremophor Maisine Lauroglycol Phytosterol dl-alpha temperature Formulation RH40 35-1 90 ester Oleic acid tocopherol (mg/g) E-68 10.0% 15.0% 10.0% 35.0% 5.0% 237.6 E-69 10.0% 15.0% 10.0% 40.0% 185.5 E-70 15.0% 15.0% 10.0% 30.0% 5.0% 190.5 E-71 15.0% 15.0% 10.0% 35.0% 182.5 E-72 10.0% 20.0% 10.0% 35.0% 174.7

TABLE 42 Solubilities of TU in Cremophor:Maisine-35-1: Imwitor 742: Lauroglycol 90: Cardioaid S: Oleic acid compositions TU Solubility at room Cremophor Lauroglycol Phytosterol Oleic temperature Formulation RH40 Maisine 35-1 Im742 90 ester acid (mg/g) E-73 15 40 25 189.8807 E-74 15 15 50 169.7849 E-75 15 10 55 189.2933 E-76 15 15 10 40 178.5922 E-77 15 40 25 157.987

TABLE 43 Solubilities of TU in Cremophor RH40: Cardioaid S: compositions TU Cremophor Phytosterol Solubility at Formulation RH40 ester 37° C.(mg/g) E-78 10.0% 65.0% 208.3 E-79 20.0% 55.0% 154.4 E-80 37.5% 37.5% 198.9

Table 44 gives the compositions of five formulations, and Table 45 the resulting solubilities of testosterone undecanoate in the formulations.

TABLE 44 Compositions of Formulas E-81 to E-85 E-81 E-82 E-83 E-84 E-85 TU 18.18%  18.2%  18.2%  18.2%  18.2% Cremophor RH40  15.0%  10.0%  10.0%  15.0%  15.0% Imwitor 742  40.0%  19.8% Maisine 35-1  15.0% Lauroglycol 90  39.9% Phytosterol ester  25.0%  10.0%  10.0%  10.0%  10.0% Oleic acid  16.9%  40.1%  41.9%  54.3% DL-alpha-tocopherol  2.0%  5.0%  2.0%  2.5% total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

TABLE 45 Solubility of TU in Cremophor RH40: Imwitor 742: Maisine 35-1: Lauroglycol 90: CardioAid S: Oleic acid: dl-alpha-tocopherol compositions TU Solubility TU at room Solubility Cremophor lmwitor Maisine Lauroglycol Phytosterol Oleic dl-alpha temperature at 30° C. Formulation RH40 742 35-1 90 ester acid tocopherol (mg,g) (mg/g) E-81 15.0% 39.8% 25.0% 2.0% 207.9 231.4 E-82 10.0% 40.0% 10.0% 16.8% 5.0% 209.2 228.0 E-83 10.0% 19.8% 10.0% 40.0% 2.0% 212.5 255.4 E-84 15.0% 15.0% 10.0% 41.8% 179.3 237.7 E-85 15.0% 10.0% 54.3% 2.5% 213.6 220.1 E-86 15.0% 41.8% 25.0% 199.9 232.8

Example 10 Preparation of SEDDS/SMEDDS Formulations

A series of SEDDS/SMEDDS formulations were prepared using Cremophore RH40 and Imwitor 742, lauroglycol 90, oleic acid, labrafil 1944 CS, and Maisine 35-1 or mixtures thereof as the S/CoS mixture and Castor oil, and phytosterol esters or their mixtures as oil. In all the formulations, the level of TU was kept constant. Briefly, accurately weighed TU was placed in a glass vial, and oil, surfactant, and co surfactant were added. Then the components were mixed by gentle stirring and vortex mixing and were heated at 50° C. on a magnetic stirrer, until TU was perfectly dissolved. The mixture was stored at 50° C., 37° C., and 25° C. and evaluated for flowability and dispersibility. The SEDDS/SMEDDS/SNEDDS formulations showed complete release in 60 minutes, where complete release is considered as greater than 90%. Thus, the study confirmed that the SMEDDS formulation can be used as an alternative to traditional oral formulations of TU (Andriol or Andriol Testocaps) to improve its bioavailability. The formulations in FIGS. 13 to 16 are illustrative of the compositions prepared in this manner, and demonstrating high release in the optimum compositions.

Example 11 Pseudoternary Phase Diagrams

Self-microemulsifying systems form fine oil-water emulsions with only gentle agitation, upon their introduction into aqueous media. Surfactant and co surfactant (S/CoS) get preferentially adsorbed at the interface, reducing the interfacial energy as well as providing a mechanical barrier to coalescence. The decrease in the free energy required for the emulsion formation consequently improves the thermodynamic stability of the microemulsion formulation. Therefore, the selection of oil and surfactant, and the mixing ratio of oil to S/CoS, play an important role in the formation of the microemulsion. In a series of formulations, Cremophore RH 40 was tested for phase behavior studies with Imwitor 742, lauroglycol 90, oleic acid, and Maisine 35-1 or mixtures thereof as the S/CoS mixture and Castor oil, and phytosterol esters or their mixtures as lipid phase. As seen from the ternary plot (FIGS. 13-16 ), Cremophore RH40 gave a wider region at all S/CoS ratios. The microemulsion area increased as the S/Cos ratios increased. However, it was observed that increasing the surfactant level resulted in a loss of flowability at 25° C. and 37° C. The compositions were selected to test behavior within the phase diagram space—behavior of formulations not tested may be predicted by the extrapolation or interpolation from the formulation coordinates tested.

Example 12 In Vitro Release Study

In vitro release of TU was checked for SEDDS/SMEDDS/SNEDDS formulations E-81 to E-85 by using fed state simulated intestinal fluid (FeSSIF) media. The formulations were stored at 37° C., and dosed as 80 microliters into 7.92 mL of FeSSIF media in a 15 mL vial held at 37° C., for a 1:100 dilution. Samples were filtered with a 0.22 micron filter, and analyzed for TU content by HPLC. The light scattering measurements were taken at 60 minutes.

TABLE 46 Release rate and particle size for formulations E-81 through E-85. Dispersion Theo TU appearance Content Conc in Vial 15 min - TU % Formulation at 37 C. (mg/g) (mg/mL) Dispersed D10 D50 D90 E-81 Cloudy 175.6 1.7557 41.49% 0.797 40.995 146.03 E-82 Cloudy 177.9 1.7793 63.77% 0.859 3.198 56.14 E-83 Cloudy 178.2 1.7821 45.48% 0.884 8.372 55.163 E-84 Cloudy 182.6 1.8255 35.65% 1.319 12.553 57.924 E-85 Cloudy 179.2 1.7921 24.78% 1.564 14.285 57.163

Example 13 24 Hour PK Profile of Tu Formulation E-87

Formulation E-87 shown below was administered to 16 hypogonadal men. Twenty-four hour PK profiles were collected using a plasma-based bioanalytical method for determination of DHT and T. The samples were collected on Day 7 of a 7-day repeat dose study. Three doses were used: 160 mg TU, 240 mg mg TU, and 320 mg TU, all administered twice daily with normal fat meals (30% of calories from fat). FIG. 17 shows the PK profile obtained, and the PK summary data is provided in Table 48.

TABLE 47 Formulation E-87 used in clinical study 7-day repeat dose, dose-escalation study Unit Unit Formulation Formulation Component function % mg Testosterone Active 15.00 80.00 Undecanoate, ingredient in house Maisine 35-1, Solubilizing 45.00 240.00  Ph. Eur. agent Cremophor Surfactant 15.00 80.00 RH40, Ph. Eur. Phytosterol Esters Solubility- 10.00 53.33 as CardioAid ™-S, enhancer in house Vitamin E (dl- Anti-oxidant 15.00 80.00 alpha tocopherol), and Ph. Eur. solubility enhancer Total fill solution, 100.00  533.33  HMPC capsule, Capsule 1 capsule 95 mg Capsugel size 0 White/White, Ph. Eur. HPMC Band 1 per capsule  3 mg (Pharmacoat 606), Ph. Eur.

TABLE 48 Pharmacokinetic data for 160 mg, 240 mg and 320 mg TU BID, Day 7 of a 7-day study using formulation E-87 AUC0-12 AUC12-24 AUC0-24 Cmax ss Cmin ss Cav 0-24 (pg · hr/mL) (pg · hr/mL) (pg · hr/mL) (pg/mL) (pg/mL) (pg/mL) Cav 0-12 160 mg average 29582.6 22704.4 52287.0 5331.9 1028.1 2178.6 2465.217 bid CV % 27.7% 26.5% 23.2% 30.7% 34.5% 23.2% 0.023077 min 18161.5 13356.7 32888.5 3122.8 554.2 1370.4 1513.456 max 49027.2 33733.3 72979.0 9431.1 1759.7 3040.8 4085.597 median 30799.7 22606.3 48279.9 5233.7 1004.8 2011.7 2566.64 geo mean 28553.5 21954.5 51022.9 5117.9 974.2 2126.0 2379.459 240 mg average 37478.4 27477.6 64956.0 6826.0 1204.8 2706.5 3123.201 bid CV % 23.8% 23.8% 20.0% 33.8% 37.6% 20.0% 0.019794 min 26179.3 17986.2 44372.9 3820.0 692.3 1848.9 2181.604 max 54214.6 41376.2 95590.8 11021.2 2373.7 3983.0 4517.885 median 37645.7 26960.4 61111.0 6604.6 1140.4 2546.3 3137.139 geo mean 36503.0 26766.2 63839.3 6462.9 1132.7 2660.0 3041.919 320 mg average 41516.2 34576.0 76092.1 8187.3 1205.8 3170.5 3459.683 bid CV % 29.4% 27.3% 21.3% 27.4% 34.8% 21.3% 0.024485 min 25001.2 22242.2 55888.4 4832.2 714.2 2328.7 2083.43 max 75809.2 50578.0 121526.7 14019.0 1994.5 5063.6 6317.432 median 41417.1 32902.2 72117.6 8383.1 1086.0 3004.9 3451.422 geo mean 39996.9 33411.3 74652.6 7907.9 1142.0 3110.5 3333.071

Example 14 24 Hour PK Profile of Tu Formulations

Formulations E-81, E-82, E-83, E-84 and E-85 were dosed in a single dose study to 12 hypogonadal subjects in a randomized crossover design, and 24-hour PK profiles obtained using a validated plasma bioanalytical method.

FIG. 18 shows the pharmacokinetic profile of the five formulations. Table 49 contains the summary PK results for these formulations.

TABLE 49 PK summary data for formulations E-81 through E-85, single dose of 500 mg TU as 5 100 mg capsules. Plasma Baseline Corrected Testosterone Mean ± SD Testosterone Undecanoate Testosterone Undecanoate Testosterone Undecanoate (CV %) (Test 1) (Test 2) (Test 3) N 12 12 12 AUC_(0-t) 55942.29 ± 19738.61 55131.82 ± 13731.24 58974.23 ± 18084.29 (pg · hr/mL) (35.28) (24.91) (30.66) AUC_(0-inf) 58630.91 ± 24323.56 57242.27 ± 14298.15 61784.90 ± 18647.62 (pg · hr/mL) (41.49)^(b) (24.98) (30.18)^(c) Residual 1.80 ± 1.77 3.53 ± 2.82 2.54 ± 2.50 Area (%) (97.98)^(b) (79.93) (98.47)^(c) C_(max) 7828.89 ± 2319.94 9893.38 ± 2316.12 9366.35 ± 2261.25 (pg/mL) (29.63) (23.41) (24.14) T_(max) ^(a) 7.00 4.00 7.00 (hr) (4.00-8.12) (3.00-5.02) (3.00-8.00) K_(el) 0.2571 ± 0.0811 0.2467 ± 0.1157 0.3073 ± 0.1278 (1/hr) (31.53)^(b) (46.90) (41.60)^(c) T_(1/2 el) 3.03 ± 1.26 3.32 ± 1.27 3.01 ± 2.31 (hr) (41.66)^(b) (38.28) (76.78)^(c) Plasma Baseline Corrected Testosterone Mean ± SD Testosterone Undecanoate Testosterone Undecanoate (CV %) (Test 4) (Test 5) N 12 12 AUC_(0-t) 71923.98 ± 32789.71 65833.27 ± 35167.80 (pg · hr/mL) (45.59) (53.42) AUC_(0-inf) 77317.75 ± 37667.73 78962.77 ± 35328.69 (pg · hr/mL) (48.72)^(d) (44.74)^(d) Residual Area 2.64 ± 2.33 3.03 ± 2.56 (%) (88.28)^(d) (84.37)^(d) C_(max) 13660.17 ± 6920.82  11748.80 ± 6725.91  (pg/mL) (50.66) (57.25) T_(max) ^(a) 8.00 8.00 (hr) (6.00-8.05) (6.00-8.02) K_(el) 0.2539 ± 0.0810 0.2258 ± 0.0838 (1/hr) (31.89)^(d) (37.11)^(d) T_(1/2 el) 3.08 ± 1.28 3.57 ± 1.60 (hr) (41.47)^(d) (44.94)^(d) ^(a)Median (Min-Max) ^(b)n = 8, Subject 1, 4, 5, 12 not included in calculation of summary statistics ^(c)n = 11, Subject 9 not included in calculation of summary statistics ^(d)n = 9, Subject 4, 5, 10, 12 not included in calculation of summary statistics

Example 15 PK Profiles of Tu Formulations E-81 and E-82

Formulation E-81 was dosed to 16 hypogonadal subjects. Twenty-four hour pharmacokinetic profiles were obtained on Day 7 after 7 days of twice daily dosing at 500 mg TU per dose. Normal fat (30% calories from fat) were provided during the study. Blood samples were analyzed by a validated bioanalytical method for the analystes T and DHT. Twenty-four hour profiles were obtained for the analytes TU and DHTU. FIGS. 19 through 22 show the 24-hour PK profiles for T, DHT, TU and DHTU for formulation E-81. The 12-hour profile for TU from formulation E-82 is also shown in FIG. 23 .

Table 50 and 51 provides summary PK data for the analytes T and DHT. Notably in FIG. 19 , the profile of testosterone is similar in shape to that expected of a modified release profile. Additionally, the two maxima observed for TU and DHTU for formulations E-81 and E-82 in FIGS. 21 and 22 after the morning dose were surprising and advantageous in creating the extended testosterone concentration profile. Table 52 provides the DHT to T ratio for formulation E-81 showing that the mean ratio is 0.18.

TABLE 50 AUC 0-24 and Cavg for testosterone for 500 mg TU twice daily dosing of formulation E-81 on Day 7 AUC₀₋₂₄ C_(avg) (pg · hr/mL) (pg/mL) N 16 16 Mean 140275.19 5844.80 SD 43733.67 1822.24 CV % 31.18 31.18 Min 71844.75 2993.53 Median 134664.80 5611.03 Max 236371.83 9848.83 Geometric Mean 134159.56 5589.98

TABLE 51 AUC 0-24 and Cavg for dihydrotestosterone for 500 mg TU twice daily dosing of formulation E-81 on Day 7 AUC₀₋₂₄ C_(avg) (pg · hr/mL) (pg/mL) N 16 16 Mean 24995.24 1041.47 SD 9876.53 411.52 CV % 39.51 39.51 Min 13808.30 575.35 Median 21757.59 906.57 Max 41490.15 1728.76 Geometric Mean 23357.05 973.21

TABLE 52 Ratio of DHT to T for AUC 0-24 for 500 mg TU twice daily dosing of formulation E-81 on Day 7 Ratio of DHT to T for AUC₀₋₂₄ N 16 Mean 0.18 SD 0.03 CV % 19.06 Min 0.12 Median 0.18 Max 0.23 Geometric Mean 0.17

While the invention has been described herein in reference to specific aspects, features and illustrative embodiments of the invention, it will be appreciated that the utility of the invention is not thus limited, but rather extends to and encompasses numerous other variations, modifications and alternative embodiments, as will suggest themselves to those of ordinary skill in the field of the present invention, based on the disclosure herein. Correspondingly, the invention as hereinafter claimed is intended to be broadly construed and interpreted, as including all such variations, modifications and alternative embodiments, within its spirit and scope. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A pharmaceutical composition comprising: a) from 10 to 25% by weight of solubilized testosterone undecanoate; b) from 10 to 37.5% by weight of hydrogenated castor oil ethoxylate; c) from 10 to 60% by weight of lipophilic surfactant selected from the group consisting of octanoic acid, decanoic acid, undecanoic acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, propylene glycol monolaurate, glycerol/glyceryl monolinoleate, glyceryl mono-and dicaprylocaprate, or a combination thereof; d) from 5 to 37.5% by weight of one or more phytosterol esters; and e) 0-10% by weight of dl-alpha-tocopherol, wherein the composition is a self-emulsifying oral formulation.
 2. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1, comprising: a) about 18.2% by weight of solubilized testosterone undecanoate; b) about 15.0% by weight of hydrogenated castor oil ethoxylate; c) about 39.9% by weight of propylene glycol monolaurate; d) about 25.0% by weight of one or more phytosterol esters; and e) about 2.0% by weight of dl-alpha-tocopherol, wherein the composition is a self-emulsifying oral formulation.
 3. A method of treating male hypogonadism in a male subject in need thereof, the method comprising administering the pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 to the subject.
 4. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1, comprising 10 to 15% by weight of hydrogenated castor oil ethoxylate.
 5. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1, wherein the lipophilic surfactant is propylene glycol monolaurate.
 6. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1, comprising 10 to 25% by weight of the one or more phytosterol esters.
 7. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1, comprising 0 to 5% by weight of dl-alpha-tocopherol.
 8. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 7, comprising from 10 to 15% by weight of hydrogenated castor oil ethoxylate.
 9. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 8, comprising from 15 to 55% by weight of propylene glycol monolaurate. 